


The Broken Road

by kjstark



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cowboys!AU, F/M, Gen, I needed to picture Steve wearing plaid shirts and Bucky riding horses, M/M, Slow Build, sue me, tags of ships and characters will be added as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-06
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2017-12-31 13:19:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 30,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1032143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjstark/pseuds/kjstark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Old!Town!AU —Tony, with Rhodey, gets somewhat trapped in a small town in Nebraska. Between horses, meadows, bright-clean lakes and the simplicy of non-existent technology, he found himself madly in love with a blond stable boy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Highway To Hell

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, first things first, this was an old story I wrote years ago and I'm trying to remember how it all went down.  
> I have the beginning and the end figured out but I still need to remember how to make it all click.  
> This is mainly Steve/Tony AND Bucky/Rhodey, so, you've been warned.  
> This is un beta'd, and so far I'm planning ten-chapters long or maybe less (or maybe more).  
> English isn't my first language, yadayada.

  _Livin' easy  
_ _Lovin' free  
_ _Season ticket on a one way ride  
_ _Askin' nothin'  
_ _Leave me be_  


* * *

"Tony, I told you you had to pack the important things. Rhodey!" Pepper called through the speaker, while Tony was still shoving sun-glasses to his bag, that was so far full of alcohol and boxer briefs.

Rhodey picked a jacket and threw it on his own bag, "I told him that already, Peps, I think he's planning on just wearing underwear and one single hat," Rhodey commented, judge fully looking at Tony across their shared bedroom.

"Sounds like a plan," Tony refuted, shrugging.

"Tony, this is a MIT conference speech. You realize how lucky you are?" Pepper tried again, and Rhodey closed his bag, starting to pick some of Tony's clothes because that's who he was, wasn't he? A full-time, non-paid, babysitter to a prodigious sixteen year-old.

"Pepper, I have an IQ higher than the Empire State, I don't believe in that 'luck' thing you're talking about," Tony expressed, and damn had Tony been hard the last couple of months. His first year of Mechanical Engineering was done, and Anthony Stark, son of Howard Stark, was probably more famous in campus than any other soon-to-graduate genius. Rhodey had met him in a frat-party, where he was picking up on some 6-foot tall douchebags who were going to clean the floor with his Armani-covered ass like no biggie. He soon figured Tony out: self-centered kid with big daddy issues, and just really looking for someone who could stand him for more than a week without having to be paid. More than one time Rhodey almost dropped the towel with him, but Tony has big-puppy brown eyes and spirit, and deep-down he _is_ a really good guy. And James Rhodes just wasn't the guy to drop something important just ‘cause it gets too damned hard.

Then it was all brought back to the last couple of months, Tony had made three different housekeepers quit back at his mansion in Malibu, with his parents. And Howard had sent him back to campus, still three weeks of vacation, before it got worse. Tony came back with a successful grin on his face and told Rhodey that it was all part of his plan to get away from his father. Two days later he threw the biggest party MIT's campus had ever lived, and got in a whole-lots of problems because hello, he's still sixteen, and Howard paid a ridiculous amount of money for everyone to conveniently forget, or so Rhodey heard.

And then, two days ago, Rhodey picked up the phone to hear the magnate's voice inviting him to accompany Tony to a conference in Malibu where apparently Tony was expected. Rhodey said yes hesitantly, because Howard explained it was important for Tony to clean his image from the party fiasco, and Rhodey knew Tony wouldn't go if he didn't drag him.

So that's why he was shoving clothing into his bag while Tony was being a first-class jackass to the only girl on Earth who liked him and not for his wallet —to be honest, Rhodey wasn't even sure _why_ Pepper liked Tony, because as far as he knew they weren't dating but they sure as hell looked like a married couple most of the times. And there was that night when Tony was drunk out of his skull and confessed him that he didn't think he was good enough for Pepper and that he wished he was. Yeah, believe or not, Tony Stark is not a great fan of Tony Stark.

"I just wanna wish a good time," Pepper finally said exasperated, "you, too, Rhodey," she added before hanging up.

"What's with you and your period?" Rhodey asked, narrowing his eyebrows, and Tony gave him the finger before heading to the bathroom. Rhodey sighed before closing Tony's bag, too.

 

 

The crash was quick as the blink of an eye, and hurt like a bitch. One second Tony was peeking out the window, asking the driver where the hell were they, and the next one it was all smoke and blur. They were down the road, the I-80, and all Tony could see through the window for the past half-hour was yellow grasslands and some occasional cows. 150k/h and it took one bump to flip the car to 180 degrees.

Tony swore he could hear his bones cracking and Rhodey coughing next to him. Then he felt something thick rolling down his head, washing over his hair and he didn't have to be a genius to know it was his blood.

The last thing Tony saw was Rhodey's face calling out his name and his own scream for help stuck to back of his mind like his middle name.

* * *

 

 

"Bucky, I told you, one phone call is just as effective as nine," Steve said, managing to pick of his cell phone and keep the bicycle he was riding across the town straight.

"Not when you don't how to pick up the first three tries, no," his life-time best friend replied, mockingly.

"That happened just once, leave me alone," Steve pressed the phone between his cheek and his shoulder and took both handlers of the bike.

"Did you grab the package?" Bucky asked.

"No, Bucky, I went there just to see Peggy," he answered, sarcastically. In the back, Bucky's package of an assembling-airplane laid carefully tied to the bicycle rack with a robe.

"That truly sounds like you. Sam's here and he's itching to build the plane, we wanna take it down the lake, so hurry up," but Steve's mind wasn't on Bucky's voice anymore. It was in the horrifying scene before him: an upside-down car lying by the road, flames growing bigger and hotter and dark smoke filling the atmosphere. "Bucky, come by old Mary’s house, _now_!" And Steve threw the phone, along with his bike and ran to flaming vehicle.

Three people inside and Steve cursed under his breath. He ran to the left side to pull one black guy out, but before Steve leaned to touch him, the guy coughed "No, take Tony first," and Steve didn't know no Tony, but the guy was as-hard-as-he-could pointing at the unconscious brunet next to him. Steve ran to the other side and grabbed the body to the other side of the road.

As Steve carefully laid his head, the face of the guy wonders trucked him: long eye-lashes, strong jaw, and what looked like an attempt to grow a beard. He remained marveled for a minute until he heard the stirring noise of Bucky's motorcycle tires.

" _Fuck_ ," Bucky yelled, running to the car to take the guy Steve tried before. Sam walked to him.

"The driver's still there," Steve told him, pointing to the car and looking for his phone on the pavement.

Bucky dragged the guy by his arms and saw Sam doing the same with the driver. "Damn, are you heavy," he muttered, falling on his butt with the guy landing on his legs. Steve noticed he was unconscious too now as he dialed 911.

Steve explained the operator the situation five meters away from the car, and as he hung up the fire got to the gas tank and the whole thing exploded. The noise, along with the flaming ball of fire, excuse you, made Steve jump backwards and the brunet Steve saved —named Tony, if Steve remembered correctly, wake up.

Steve walked to him and knelt. Tony blinked twice, three times, and looked at his eyes, and he couldn't help but say, "Shit, am I in heaven?" And that made Steve smile shyly.

Next to him, Bucky groaned, unconscious guy still lying on his legs, "That's gotta be the cheesiest line I've ever heard," he said, giving Steve a look, but Steve ignored him, something closing tightly in his gut after seeing the guy was alive.

"Rhodey?" He called, and Steve raised his eyebrows.

"You mean the bear lying on top of half of my body? He's breathing," Bucky answered him, and Steve wished Bucky could be sweeter, especially to people who almost just died, "heavy as fuck, too," Bucky said, looking wide-eyed to the guy below when he groaned.

"Tony?" Rhodey tried to raise his head to look for his friend but regretted as soon as he moved "Agh, fuck," he said, falling back to Bucky's legs.

"Okay, you're good, if you'll excuse me, I want to use my legs, now," Bucky said, taking the guy's —Rhodey, whatever, head and putting it on the floor. Rhodey made an 'Ow' sound and Steve looked at Bucky with straight eyebrows, Bucky only shrugged.

Rhodey opened his and closed them immediately, blinded by the sunlight. He tried again looking to the sides, painfully moving his hand to his forehead to supply some shadow. He saw the same guy he saw before, long, messy brown hair and a perpetual devil-may-care-looking face. He looked at the guy's back and watched one black guy taking care of Happy. Then Rhodey rolled his eyes to the other side and saw the blond that went for him first, giving a fond smile to the pain-filled bag of curses that was Tony right now.

"Where are we?" He managed to ask. The long haired guy knelt beside him and sighed.

"You're in Rockwell, a one-horse, one-movie theatre town," and maybe Rhodey had developed some new telepathic superpowers, but in his head he heard Tony's voice saying 'fuck' for the billionth time.


	2. Welcome To Nowhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Howard's evil plan.

_The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost; to be everywhere, is to be nowhere.  _  
_-Michel de Montaigne  _

* * *

On the way to the closest hospital Tony managed to pass out just once, at the last moment, and say ' _fuck_ ' just a hundred times more before he did. The blond —Steve took the ride with them, sitting at the different side from where Rhodey was sitting in the ambulance. Rhodey couldn't move his arm without a piercing pain running from his head to his very toes, and the ever growing headache made it all worse. In another ambulance, however, Happy was fighting for his life.

"It's not too long before we get there," Steve tried to calm; Rhodey nodded slowly and rested his head back to the ambulance's wall.

Maybe three minutes passed after Steve said that, maybe three hours did, Rhodey couldn't have cared. Because between his own pain, the fact that Tony was unconscious and that Happy —whom Rhodey knew that had been working for the Stark family as soon as he'd learned how to drive— could die, made time go slower than a… _mud_ glass.

They took Tony out in a wheelchair while Rhodey stumbled his way through the ER hall. Then someone pulled him to a white room with a couple of chairs and a table. A redhead nurse came in and asked steadily Rhodey to follow her finger with his eyes, and he did.

"My name's Natasha, could you tell me yours?" She asked, with a calmed smile.

"James...Rhodes," he muttered, closing his eyes again, he didn't know why but he felt sedated. The girl grabbed some tissues and a bandage and started cleaning the back of his head, stitching a part Rhodey wasn’t able to look. Then there was blood, lots of blood. That explained why he felt so light headed, because he _was_ light headed. She covered his head with the bandage and carefully settled his arm in a sling. He smiled, mouthing a ' _thank you_ ' tired-ly.

"We gave you a lot of painkillers, you're gonna feel a little funky," _a little?_ "Your friend's alright, though, all he had is a minor concussion and some scratches," she explained him then. 

"What about Happy?" He asked, opening his eyes to look at her with concern.

"He's been stabilized, but we transferred him to a hospital in Lincoln," she explained, and Rhodey bet his bottom lip. ' _He'll be fine_ ' Rhodey tried to make himself believe.

He thanked the young woman and managed to get himself out of the chaos-full hall, looking for the group of guys that saved them. Rhodey found them on the waiting room. The blond, Steve, was pacing, and the others two were sitting in front of him. The one who saved him look annoyed, and the one who saved Happy looked tired. Rhodey made his choice as to who he'd talk to.

"Steve?" He called, and the blond guy turned his face to him and stopped his pacing as instantly.

"Yes, hmm, Rhodey, is it?" Rhodey nodded. The other guys stood up now and settled at Steve's back. "How are you?" he asked.

"Alive, I guess," he replied, smiling despite his pain —that was already starting to wear off, God bless painkillers, "thanks to you," he told Steve, who shook his head, humbly.

"And me, _hello_ ," that was the brunet whining. Rhodey looked at him and nodded, again.

"Yeah, thanks, all of you, actually," he pointed all the three of them with a motion of his hand. "For Happy and Tony, too," Rhodey added.

"How is he? Your friend, the one I saved?" Steve asked fast. In the back, Rhodey saw Steve's brunet friend roll his eyes.

"They say he's alright, a bump in the head and some scratches, I have to call his father, though, _god_ ," Rhodey remembered, rubbing two fingertips on his forehead.

"You mean Howard Stark, _the_ Howard Stark?" the black guy asked, and Rhodey nodded, making a face. Of course everyone would know Tony's father as soon as he said his last name, what was he thinking?

He heard Steve tell his friend _'I don't get it_ ' and the brunet probably replying who Howard was, but Rhodey was too busy turning over when the man himself called him.

"Mr. Stark," he said. The prominent figure of Tony's successful father standing in front of him.

"How are you, kid?" He asked, concern showing in his eyes for a brief second.

"I'm okay," he answered, reassuring smile curving on his mouth. Howard sighed.

"Ah, good, I called your mother," he said, and Rhodey breathed easily.

"You did? Thank you, sir," he wouldn't have wanted to worry his poor mama back at home.

"Yeah, I'll let her know that you're alright before she heads up here to check herself, huh?" Howard tried to ease. Rhodey smiled, out of courtesy —he didn't really like the man, knowing how much psychological issues he'd cause his friend—, but then Howard's face changed entirely "look, Rhodey," he started, throwing an arm around his shoulder and making him walk farther away from the group "there's something you should know; you guys ending up here wasn't an accident," at that Rhodey widened his eyes, shocked, but Howard was a fast-talker, like father like son, "the _way_ you ended up, _yes_ , but not the place," Howard explained, but Rhodey still didn't understand, and his face was showing it. "I had meant for Tony to spent his last weeks of vacation in this town, learn a lesson or two. Happy was supposed to lure him, with you, if necessary, out of the car and leave. Rhodey, there's no Malibu conference," he said, raising his eyebrows, Rhodey mouthed an ' _Oh_ ', getting it. That explained why they didn't take one of Howard's prestigious jets and went on the road instead; guess Tony had been right at being worried for that particularity —to think he told Tony it was Howard trying to teach him something, _jeez_. "Anyway, I'd pick you up one or two days after, after I made sure you explained to Tony every single detail of his punishment, which is kinda what you're going to do now—,”

"Me?" Rhodey interrupted, frowning, because this was Tony's father —and OK, Rhodey knew he was the balanced half of the equation, but seriously— and he was asking Rhodey to play _his_ role. You'd excuse him if he was confused, or even stupefied, at the old man.

"Well, you have a way through him," Howard said, then. ' _You're grounding him, you don't need to have a way through him to do that_ ' Rhodey wanted to reply.

"I just don't know how am I going to explain something _I_ don't even understand," Rhodey stated, simply.

Howard sighed and gave Rhodey his back, “Which one of you saved my son?” Howard asked the group of young men. The one who saved Happy —Rhodey really had to ask for his name— pushed Steve forward, and the brunet —nevermind his name, he seems like an asshole— whispered something that sounded a lot like _‘ask him for money’_ but Rhodey might’ve been high by this point.

“I did,” Steve declared, somewhat nervously —Howard was dressed in a perfectly clean, expensive, beige tuxedo and he smelled like Hugo Boss and money, _lots of it_ , so of course anyone would be nervous around him.

“What’s your name, boy?” he asked, with a grin on his moustache-y face.

“Steve,” Rhodey could hear the blond stutter.

“Any chance you’re Abraham Erskine’s boy?” Howard wondered, narrowing his eyes, his grin growing into a surprised smile. Steve only nodded, confused. “Ah, kiddo, let me shake your hand,” Howard said loudly, taking Steve’s hand on his and shaking it tightly. “I’ve heard wonderful things about you, and now I’ve seen that Abe wasn’t lying, you really are a good young man,” Howard complimented Steve, all while Steve’s face dropped the frown and smiled back politely. His friends, however, were still confused. “And you are?” Howard looked at them, then and Steve moved to the side.

“This is Bucky, he lives with us,” Steve introduced, pointing the brunet that made something whirl in Rhodey’s gut “and this is Sam,” he said, pointing to the guy that saved Happy and that seemed far nicer than Steve’s other friend. “They also helped save Tony, and Rhodey,” and Happy, Rhodey tried to correct.

“Mr. Stark,” Rhodey tried to call the magnate’s attention again, but he only motioned his hand for Rhodey to join them.

“Okay, Rhodey, listen; A friend of mine is going to take Tony into his home, make him help him with stuff, make him work, learn how to be a decent human being again —Erskine—,” Howard explained Rhodey, again, mentioning the last name to Steve, like explaining him, too. “I need you to tell Tony, to make him understand, that he’s going to stay here until he learns how to be that: a decent human being. Got it?” Rhodey barely nodded before Howard started to talk again, “I’m going to send someone to pick you up once you’ve made sure that Tony will follow the instructions,” Rhodey blinked twice, pressing his lips together, and Howard shook him “C’mon, Rhodey, I know you can do this, and it’s for his own good. Besides, there’s no face you can make or thing you can say, Tony is going to stay in this Cowland— beautiful town,” Howard corrected his mistake looking at the group of townspeople “whether he likes it or not. His mother and I have already decided” and Rhodey knew there was no changing the man’s mind. He also knew that Tony had it coming.

But he also knew that it was all Howard’s goddamn fault, talking about decent human beings, “Okay,” Rhodey agreed, because what else could he do? He was going to help Tony prove his father wrong, because the man in front of him, although sharing DNA and an equal passion for science, didn’t know Tony like Rhodey did.

“Alright,” Howard told him finally, smiling at him, and even though Rhodey had met the man for maybe fifteen different times, he couldn’t recall Howard smiling so much at him, ever. “You guys want the ride back home?” he asked Steve and his friends.

“Limo?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow. Howard shrugged condescendingly. And then Bucky bro-fisted Sam from behind Steve, and Howard gave Rhodey an amused look.

“I’ll have someone take you all; I have to go before he sees me and throws an mtv’s sweet sixteen-worth tantrum,” Howard whispered jokingly at Rhodey before taking off. And all Rhodey wanted to do really was spit all over that man’s existence, but maybe those were the drugs talking. “Remember to tell him we’re doing this for his own good,” he mentioned, and disappeared through the long hall. After a moment, Steve walked to him.

“You feeling okay?” maybe Rhodey was a bit dizzy, or maybe he was actually just scared.

“Do you know where Tony is?” Rhodey asked instead. Steve pointed a room with a closed door and Rhodey took a deep breath.

 _‘Here we go’_ he whispered himself walking to the room, and already wondered what the fuck had he been thinking? Tony was going to flip out, he was going to throw shit and curse, and Rhodey was going to be the target the whole goddamn time. _Shitshitshit._

“Tones?” Rhodey called, entering the room. Tony was moving to sit, rubbing the back of his bandaged head. He moved his hand to the sides in a small ‘Hello’ gesture.

“They gave me a lot of pills, man,” Tony commented, chuckling, while Rhodey set next to him on the bed.

“I know, me too,” Rhodey repressed his own laugh, trying to remember what was he going to do in the first place, what was he going to explain, “Look, man, I’ve got to tell you a thing and you’re not going to like it,” and for someone who just had a terrible and near-death car accident Rhodey couldn’t believe this was the moment he actually feared for his life.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder: you can always tell me to shut up.


	3. Just A Boy In A Chevy Truck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve offers Tony his help, and Tony figures he might just like being on town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on updating once a week, so, you'll know how much to wait. Also, keep in mind this story is not just Stony-centric, there will be some Bucky/Rhodey coming, and I really hope you'll like it. 
> 
> *** are for flashbacks.

 

 

 

  _Just a boy in a Chevy truck_

_That had a tendency of gettin' stuck_

_On backroads at night_

_And I was right there beside him all summer long_

* * *

Tony slammed the door of the porch and walked like his feet were on fire, processing everything that just happened.

He was mad. No, scratch that.

_He was raging._

What kind of bullshit got to his father's head?

 

 

 

 ***

After Rhodey explained for the third time that no, he wasn't joking, Pedro —or Miguel?— walked in the room and told him they were leaving.

Rhodey had asked Tony on the road to wherever the hell it was they were going if he was alright, but Tony was busy ignoring everything around and looking instead at the smoking-hot guy smiling at him some times and then scolding his friend some others. He was tall, board, and he had perfectly shaped bright blond hair, and Tony noticed, too, a light-brown mole on his neck. Yes, very all-American-boy type of guy. He was wearing a red and dark-blue plaid shirt, old black jeans and _of course_ cowboy boots underneath.

He also asked Tony once if he was alright, but all Tony replied was a small nod and a fond smile. Maybe he was wonderstrucked, maybe he just lost a lot of blood.

He kept staring at Steve with dull-full eyes, and noticed him blushing a little in return.

A high-toned voice that sounded a lot like Pepper's echoed in the back his mind, whispering _'you're ogling'_ , and Tony doubted if he wasn't hallucinating.

The limo pulled over and Hispanic-named employee of Howard opened the door for them. Tony stepped out of the car and looked at the man up and down, grinning sarcastically. "I suppose I can't pay you to take me home, huh?" He asked and the guy didn't even blink. Tony nodded, sucking his bottom lip as Rhodey lightly pushed him out of the way of their exit.

Steve got out last and waved at an old man that was coming out of the huge country house that was yards away from them.

Tony looked around. Three horses —one brown, one beige, and one white— were by the fence freely, no ropes attached them to it. Next to the main house was what Tony believed to be a stable, almost half the size of the house. The house was made of pearl white-painted wood, and adorned like any old lady would have it. Two floors —three squared windows and one rounded on the second floor, and two large windows for the first one—and a wide porch. That house screamed _'southern and rustic'_ all over her.

Tony swallowed, preparing for terror.

Steve walked past him, gently brushing his shoulder and moving his head to the side, motioning for him to follow. His friends —brunet hobo-looking, and black-and-friendly, hopped up two horses, the brown and the brown _er_ — and rode to _yes_ , the stable, the brunet dragging the white one with him with a rope. Steve whistled for them to follow and Tony looked at Rhodey, who looked back at him with the same terrified eyes he had.

Rhodey grew up in Philadelphia, a small apartment in a small city, so Rhodey learned from an early age to always figure things out quickly, and he worked his best to do them all right. Bu then again, Tony remembered the punishment didn't include his friend, so Rhodey didn't even have to go through this hell with him.

_God, what was even happening?_

 

 

 

***

* * *

Tony kicked a rock as he walked through the field and considered his odds. God, he was so fucked.

He groaned frustrated and kicked the rock harder.

"This town isn't as bad as you think," Steve said behind him. Tony turned and saw him standing a few meters away from him. His sweet, southern smile easing its way through Tony's anger. "I'll help you," he reminded.

 

 

 

 

***

"Kids, welcome, my name is Abraham Erskine," the grey-haired man told them in a funny accent. Rhodey took and shook his hand first, then Tony followed. "Your father and I are really good friends, Anthony," he said with a smile. Tony only nodded, giving him a gesture that said 'whatever'. The man chuckled "anyway—,"

"Just tell me what he wanted you to tell me," Tony interrupted, stopping the man's words with his hand.

The man hesitated for a second when he looked at Rhodey, who just raised his eyebrows, waiting too, "well, there are many things going on in this place, and I could always use all the help I can get,” he told, shifting his eyes from Tony to Rhodey, smile never leaving his face. Tony felt like crying, actually. “It’s okay, I’ll have good Steve here help you,” the man said, pointing to Tony, “and Bucky can help you—,” he said, pointing to Rhodey, but a second after Steve’s hobo friend stood up from where he was sitting —When did he even come in?—.

“What?” he shouted. Steve turned to give him a warning look. “They’re staying here? _For real?_ " he asked Erskine, Rhodey looked down, uncomfortable and Tony just look bad at the guy’s way. Yeah, Tony made his mind, he didn’t like ‘Bucky’ at all.

“Bucky,” Erskine started, and Bucky just sighed in return.

Tony didn’t want to listen no more so he took off without so much of a word.

 

 

 

 

***

* * *

Tony walked to the fence and settled his forearms on top of it, clasping his hands together. “You wanna help me?” Tony asked again, an unsure frown growing on his face. Steve walked to him and put his hands on the fence, too.

“Yes, we’re all good people here,” at that Tony was going to make a comment but Steve was quick to correct, “Bucky’s different, he’s… _difficult_ with people from the city, he’s built up some sort of stereotype but he’ll help,” Steve reassured, and Tony turned to him, not really caring about the asshole friend back at the house.

“What are you, Steve Rogers, oh-great-savior?” he mocked, but that got him a shy smile from the blond cowboy. Tony bit his bottom lip, gazing. “Some sort of hero?”

Steve shook his head and looked at the boy, “I’m just a boy in a Chevy truck,” he complied with a shrug, and Tony pictured himself hitting the road on that thing with the sex icon standing next to him. “Why don’t you get some rest and I’ll tell you how easy everything’ll be tomorrow? Erskine says you guys have to wait for your bodies to fully heal again, so you can have this whole weekend,” he told him smiling, and Tony really wanted to believe this wasn’t going to be hell, he really did.

However, he couldn’t.

“Let me know when do you want me to show you around, okay?” Steve asked after a while because Tony hadn’t said nothing, he just kept staring at the afternoon-pink horizon. Tony nodded and pressed his lips together, making a face. Then Steve left and got replaced by his long-time friend, but not before saying "you know, the middle of nowhere is a great place to start finding oneself." And Tony didn't understand really why he'd said that.  

Tony turned on his back and lifted himself up, sitting on the fence now. “How are ya’?” Rhodey wondered.

“Is this really happening?” Tony asked in return, and Rhodey sat on the fence with him. “ _Pfft_ , he’s talking to me about decent human beings, talking about lessons,” Tony spat, moving his head to the side “well, Rhodey, is hard to know something you’re not even taught in the first place,” Tony felt his eyes watering up with anger.

“I know,” Rhodey agreed, but then he turned to Tony, “but you _do_ know them, Tony. You are a good guy, and you’re going to show that off to your dad, I know you will,” Rhodey gave him the complimenting speech he always gave him when Tony was down, but it never really worked. “We can do this, three weeks, man, it’ll be easy—,”

“We?” Tony turned to him, and Rhodey just smiled fondly. Rhodey deserved the entire Heaven for all Tony knew.

“Yeah, like I’m going to leave you here all alone, I wanna have the first row to see you embarrassing yourself,” Rhodey mocked, taking Tony by his shoulder and shaking him in a friendly gesture. “Besides, you’re gonna start sexually harass that guy if someone doesn’t stop you,” Rhodey commented, raising his eyebrows, looking some other way.

“Screw you if you do—,” Tony cursed.

“And I have to make sure his friend doesn’t kill you,” Rhodey finished.

“He’s really going to make this a hell for us,” Tony said, but Rhodey raised his hand to stop him.

“Yeah, leave that guy for me, I’m the one with a track-record of handling assholes, anyway—,”

“Jerk,” Tony told him, but he wasn’t disagreeing.

They both stared back at the big, old house they’d be spending their last three weeks of vacation. They breathed heavily at the same time and maybe sent a prayer or two. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback isn't such a bad thing. ;)


	4. Maybe I'm wrong or maybe I'm right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erskine's house is no Asshole-Rehab.

  
_We go out on our own_   
_It’s a big bad world outside_   
_Carrying’ our dreams and all that they mean_   
_Trying to make it all worthwhile._   


* * *

“This is bullshit,” Bucky spat, turning his back from the window, where he had been looking at the two strangers sitting on the fence. Erskine sat on his big couch and waited for Steve to return.

Steve opened the door a minute later, “Shut it, Bucky,” Steve said, and Sam chuckled from across the room because Steve hadn’t even heard Bucky talk, yet, he _knew_ he had said something.  “How long will they be staying?”

“You’re excited about this, aren’t ya’?” Bucky asked, narrowing his brow. Steve ignored him.

“I don’t know, three weeks, maybe less,” Erskine said, looking at Steve first but then moving his eyes to Bucky, his head falling to one side.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bucky muttered, looking back at the man that fitted in the description of his father, but Bucky’d never really felt right calling him that. “Erskine, seriously? They don’t belong here,” Bucky complained, pointing at the window with his hand.

“Bucky, it’s a favor—,” Steve started, but Bucky shut him off with his hand. He walked closer to where Erskine was sitting.

 “You tell me this isn’t my house to call the shots and I’ll take the hint—,"

“I won’t do that, Bucky,” Erskine told him, closing his eyes, tired.

“Then don’t let them stay,” Bucky said, but it was more like a plea, “They can stay in Rose’s motel. _Hell_ , this isn’t some sort of Asshole-Rehab!” Bucky shouted the last part, throwing his hands up in the air. Steve shook his head.

“Well, it could as well be, I mean, _you_  live here,” Sam tried to joke, but Bucky sent him a deadly gaze.

Bucky turned again to look at Erskine, who just sat and said nothing for a while. But then he shifted on his seat, and then he stood up. “Bucky, this is your house as much as it’s mine, as much as it’s Steve’s,” he started, shortening the space between them, and then carefully placing a hand on Bucky’s shoulder “But I’m the authority here, son, and this is ridiculous, you’re judgment of _some_ people cannot be applied to _all_ ,” he spoke, but Bucky rolled his eyes.

“Oh, really? You’re telling me Richie Rich there isn’t an over-his-head dick? Why did his father sent him here again?”  Bucky told Erskine, sarcastically, and Steve fought the urge to drag him to his room by his ear like he should.

“You don’t have to deal with him if you don’t want to—,”

“Ah, his friend is no difference—,”

“You _are_ going to help me, James,” Erskine wasn’t one to yell, and he didn’t, but when he called them by their real names, they knew he was being serious.  Bucky closed his mouth. “How can you be so judgmental about people you don’t even know?”

“I don’t need to know them; they’re all raised by the same sick society,” Bucky crossed his arms, looking another way but to the people in the room.

“And by which society are you raised, then?” Steve asked, frown growing tighter and tighter as Bucky turned to look at him. “Because people in this town help other people,” Steve scolded him, while Erskine left the room, saying something about going to his office-slash-lab and asking them to let him know when their visitors came back. Steve watched him go and when he wasn’t in the room anymore, he whispered to Bucky, “What is wrong with you?”

“What is wrong with me? You’re the one who’s head-over-heels by somebody you just met,” Bucky whispered back at him.

“It’s not that—,”

“Oh, it _is_ ,” Bucky refuted, raising his eyebrows.

“No, Bucky, it’s _not_ ,” Steve said, volume back to regular, “I saved that guy’s life, and you saved his friend’s,” he explained, Bucky shook his head in return.

“So, what? We owe them something now? I think it works the other way around, Steve,” Bucky said, and Steve sighed, frustrated.

“I just don’t get what you’re whining about, they’re going to help us do our job,” Steve stated, opening his arms.

“I don’t need anybody’s help,” and then both Steve and Sam rolled their eyes. About a week ago Bucky was complaining about having too much work and wanting to ask Erskine if he could hire someone to help them.

“What do you want?” Steve yelled, annoyed.

“I want them _gone!_ ” Bucky shouted back, but then someone in the threshold cleared his throat. They all turned to Tony and Rhodey standing in front of the closed door awkwardly. Tony was looking badly at Bucky’s way, and Rhodey was avoiding looking at anyone, the last one more uncomfortable than the first one.

Steve smiled at Tony, trying to ease the situation, “You’re back,” and Tony replied with a fake smile.

“Yeah,” and his jaw was clenching tightly.

“Do you want me to show you your room?” Steve tried again, smile never leaving his face, and he actually considered standing in front of Bucky just to cover him from Tony’s deadly stare.

“Well, I certainly don’t want him,” Tony said, pointing at Bucky lightly with his jaw before shifting his eyes to Steve and losing his anger at the brunet who hated them. He smiled truly then and Steve replied, too.

“Come with me,” he told Tony, and they both disappeared through long stairs. Rhodey watched them go and balanced himself on his feet, feeling very uncomfortable, and even considering leaving Tony to figure things out on his own.

Sam looked at Bucky and moved his head to where Rhodey was standing, Bucky frowned in reply. He mouthed a ‘ _Go_ ’ and Bucky sighed heavily, cursing under his breath.

“Follow me,” Bucky said, side-passing him and walking up the stairs. Rhodey looked at him from below and blinked twice, mentally getting ready.

“Don’t pay attention to him,” Sam said from behind, “He’s a jerk by nature, it’s like breathing to him,” he said with a shrug, and Rhodey chuckled. How come Steve could have such a nice friend and such another asshole one? “Oh, and, if you wanna punch him, call me first, ‘cause I wanna see that,” he commented, with a warm smile and then he went to another room. Rhodey stood there for a while, not really knowing what to do.

“You coming or what? I don’t have all night,” Bucky complained from the first wall above in the second floor. Rhodey ran upstairs and followed him through a long hall. His room was the last one to the right and in front of it he heard Tony’s voice in the other room.

His bedroom, though, was small. A single bed without bed sheets and one white pillow. A drawing of a big, blue lake was hanging by the wall, and the room had one window. There was a small table and a night stand with a flower-stamped lamp.

Yeah, Rhodey could do.

“Sorry there’s no flat TV or anything,” Bucky commented behind him, faking a big, bright smile.

“It has a bed, that’s all I need,” Rhodey defended himself, it was about time someone told this guy they weren’t the kind of people he thought, at least not him.

“Really? You don’t need silk sheets and an AC,” Bucky mocked, making a fake pout, “Lucky us,” he added, with a straight face then.

“I don’t get your problem with me—,”

“Let’s drop the theatricality, alright?” Bucky started, stepping inside the room, distance between them becoming nonexistence. “You don’t want to be here and I don’t want you to be here,” he said, invading Rhodey’s personal space, trying to intimidate. “So, do what you’ve got to do and do it _quickly_ ,”

“I can’t do that if you don’t help me—,”

“Exactly,” Bucky cut him, “And you better keep that in your mind. You’re not going to leave this place if you don’t listen to what I say,” Rhodey frowned at him, actually amused.

“Is that so?”

“You don’t want to get my bad side—,”

“You mean this is your _good_ side?” Rhodey asked, raising his eyebrows, sarcastically. God, let this week end without him beating the shit outta this guy. Bucky fake-smiled at him and walked a step away.

“You take a good rest this weekend, dude, because then? You’ll realize this ain’t no place for a princess—,” Bucky said, walking out of the bedroom.

“Really? Then what are you doing here?” Rhodey shot back, but the guy was already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it sucks, you know you can always tell me (;


	5. Everything Has Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve makes breakfast and surprisingly earns Tony's trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this is the fifth chapter and I'm nowhere near done, so I'm guessing this will be longer than I had anticipated, but anyway,  
> so far so good, right?

 

 

 

_All I knew this morning when I woke_  
 _Is I know something now, know something now I didn't before._

_I just wanna know you better._

* * *

Next day Bucky woke up to the sweet smell of fresh butter bread and bacon, and he felt like he was in heaven. He walked out of the door running, and then downstairs only to meet Erskine walking out of the kitchen, cup of coffee in hand.  Bucky opened his eyes, excited while the German only smiled at him.

“He also made chocolate pancakes and your strawberry milkshake,” he added, before disappearing to his beloved office —Workaholic man. But Bucky was too busy whispering _‘thank you’s_ to God while closing his hands in fists, mouthing a _‘yes!’_

He walked into the kitchen showing bright, big teeth and wondered if maybe today was March 10th. “What did I—,” he cut himself off when he saw the banquet on the table. Tower after tower of maple syrup pancakes, a whole plate full of sliced butter bread, and Bucky could swear an entire pork-worth in bacon. Three jars of freshly made Orange juice and four cups of his delicious strawberry milkshake. “Oh, hell _no_ ,” he muttered before taking as many glasses as he could and putting them next to the sink.

Steve, recently realizing Bucky’s presence, turned from the stove and smiled at Bucky. “Good morni—,”

“Don’t,” Bucky cut off, pointing at him, and then took the other two glasses of milkshake from the table, drawing one of them to his lips.

“Bucky, what are you doing?” Steve asked, frowning, then he gracefully dropped the omelet he had on the pan on his hand in a plate in the center of the table.

“I could ask you the same question,” Bucky said, downing the glass of milkshake and putting it on the sink to grab another. “We’re a hotel now?” he asked Steve, shaking his head, and starting to drink another cup.

“I just wanna be a good host. Stop that,” Steve scolded, pointing with an open hand at the two remaining glass of milkshakes.

“I’m not gonna let you give them _my_ amazing milkshakes,” he refuted, and Steve face-palmed solemnly.

“Bucky stop being such a child,” Steve said annoyed, when Bucky was already trying the third glass, feeling slightly sick as he went. “You’re gonna throw up if you drink ‘em like that,” he advised.

“ _I’m_ gonna throw up with you seducing that guy,” he shot back, and he swallowed hard, because God, those milkshakes were sickeningly sweet after just having two, and Bucky was already on his fourth glass. His head might’ve been spinning. He sat on his regular spot on the table and drove a hand to his forehead, cleaning off the drops of sweat, “I think I’m sugar high,” he muttered, and Steve set up a plate full of food in front of him.

“Whose immature fault is that?” he judged. Bucky shot him a badly gaze.

Bucky was on his third bite of bread when their guests walked into the place. Tony’s hair was a complete mess and he was wearing a ridiculous pajama shorts and a black shirt, but Steve had looked at him like he was some sort of angel. _Yeah, he definitely was going to throw up._

Then his friend came in behind him, wearing dark-blue sweat pants and a white tank-top, and Bucky will deny until his last breath that he choked on his juice just at that sight. “Good morning,” he said, looking at Steve. —Yes, avoid me while I stare at you, thank you, Bucky thought—. Across the room, Tony was yawning.

“Tell me what the ‘ _good_ ’ part is,” Bucky asked, with a fake smile on his face. Steve walked behind him and slightly smacked the back of his head.

“I hope you guys had a good night sleep,” Steve said, throwing the small kitchen towel he had on his hand up his shoulder.

“I kinda did,” Tony said, smiling at Steve.

“Mine was kind of cold,” Rhodey added, rubbing the back of his neck. Bucky’s eyes went blank as he looked at Steve.

“You didn’t give him blankets?” he asked him, as if Bucky had committed murder. Bucky just chew his omelet and said nothing, Steve sighed. “I’m sorry, Rhodey, I’ll give you some tonight, I promise.” He apologized.

Rhodey just waved his hand like it was nothing, and Bucky continued eating his food. “It’s not a big deal,” he reassured, with a smile that Steve returned.

“Well, why don’t you have a seat?” Steve said, pointing at the chair that laid in front of Bucky. Rhodey looked at him for a second and Bucky raised his eyebrows, leaving him no choice but to sit and also, feel terribly uncomfortable. Steve took the seat next to him and Tony the one in front of Steve.

_Perfect, he’d let Steve drag him to a really early double date._

They ate in silence for a peaceful couple of minutes. Then Steve started throwing questions and tales at them while Bucky just stared at him the whole time. Wide-eyed.

“Why don’t you pass Tony more pancakes Bucky, please?” Steve asked him, after he was done talking about their shared childhood, thankfully skipping any embarrassing story.

Bucky reluctantly took the plate and handed it over, just to hear: “I don’t like to be handed things,” in the worst kinda of obnoxious, rich asshole-y tone. Bucky bet his bottom lip, holding in the frustration.

“How about thrown at?” he asked raising his eyebrows. “Do you like getting things thrown at you?” he finished with a smile, and then Steve just took the plate from his hand, quickly. Bucky cleaned the corner of his mouth with a napkin and moved his chair back. “Well, this has been fun,” he said sarcastically, “but I’ve got take off, _now_ ,”

“Where are you going?” Steve asked, looking up at Bucky.

“Anywhere,” Bucky replied, opening his eyes, telling him clearly he hadn’t enjoyed himself for the past half-or-so hour.

“Remember to come back at 5 to go to Mr. Lucas' place. Luke said he wanted us there, apparently some cousins are coming, too,” Steve said, taking a bite of his own food while Bucky shockingly looked back at him. Their guests watching them with wonder-filled eyes. Then Steve misread Bucky’s warning look, “Oh, you guys have to come,” he invited, and Bucky looked at the ceiling, cursing.

“A party?” Tony asked, taking a sip of his juice. Steve moved his head to the sides, somewhat nodding.

“More like a small gathering,” he corrected.

“If you’ll be there, I’m in,” the sixteen year old flirted, and Steve managed not to blush in the slightest.

“What about you, Rhodey?” he asked his friend then. Rhodey just cleaned his mouth.

“That depends,” he started, and then he turned to where Bucky was standing, ready to leave, “do you want us there?” he asked, raising a cocky eyebrow. “Honestly.” And Bucky knew this guy didn’t like him, so he figured honesty was the right card.

“No.”

“I’m in,” he told Steve with a smile, and some kind of tension closed tightly in Bucky’s gut

 

* * *

 

Steve wasn't really sure what was he looking for. But he'd came to realize that he owned a ridiculous amount of plaid shirts. He took a red one, his favorite, and even that one looked...  _not good enough_.

"You do realize that if Bucky was here he'd be giving you endless shit, right?" That was Sam talking from his bed. Steve curved his mouth into a small smile and threw three more shirts to the floor.

"Bucky is starting to piss me off, Sam," he said turning to his friend. "How about this one?" Steve asked, showing Sam a green and blue plaid shirt.

Sam shrugged, "It's like every other shirt you have, Steve," Steve sighed in return and went back to the closet. "Why is he pissing you off?" He asked later.

"I made breakfast for Tony and Rhodey today and he behaved like a stubborn child whose toy was refused to him," Steve grabbed his blue, worn out jeans and laid them on the bed, "Rhodey was even talking about his ROTC program and Bucky just kept rolling his eyes," Steve told, shaking his head.

"He's military?" Sam asked, surprised.

"Yes, air force," Steve replied with a grin. The three of them shared a common interest in the United Forces, but none of them really desired to enlist, as far as Steve knew.

"And Bucky said nothing?"

"I'm pretty sure he wasn't even listening by that point," Steve replied, spreading the green and blue shirt above the jeans on the bed, and then looking at it. "Is that good?"

"Someone's a little nervous, huh?" Sam scoffed.

"I thought I had you here because you wouldn't make fun of me," Steve commented, giving Sam a short glance.

"Fine, I'm here to help then," he said before standing up. He went for a couple of bags he'd brought with him. "Here," he said throwing a black shirt with long sleeves at him.

"What-," Steve barely said.

"I bought that before I got here," Sam explained, crashing against the mattress again, "and I have no one new to impress, so,"

"What about Rhodey?" Steve tried, jockingly.

"Far from being my type," Sam replied, waving his hand nonchalantly. "Bucky's on the other hand..." he left the idea hanging.

"Please, like that's ever happening," Steve said, taking off his shirt to try the one Sam'd handed him.

"We already have a bet going on downtown," Sam mentioned, looking at Steve through the mirror's reflection.

"You guys are impossible," Steve said, smiling.

"Natasha started it. Even Luke's cousin Carol threw her own suggestion, she's fun," Sam was telling Steve as he buttoned his shirt.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, it's hard to believe she's Luke's relative," Sam added, jokingly. "She's from the city, too, but Bucky didn't have no problem with her, you guess,"

"Smoking hot?" Steve asked turning to Sam with the shirt on, arms open.

"You or her?" Sam chuckled. "She's fine, but she's not about letting any guy around here get her, or so Luke said. And you, well, it's unfair that looks better on you than it does on me," Sam said, making a face at his last comment. Steve laughed and hit Sam's feet slightly before taking his shirt off again.

"Hey, Steve-" Tony said opening the door, stopping whatever thought he had in mind to stay shocked in the door frame. Sam held in the laughter and Steve fought not to blush of embarrassment.

"Maybe you should learn to knock, kiddo," Sam muttered, after a while of no one saying nothing, looking down at his hands and then at Tony, nicely.

"I'll be down stairs right away, Tony, sorry," Steve simply said, biting his bottom lip and Sam watched Tony following the motion with his eyes. The brunet nodded and took off just as quickly as he had entered.

"I was wrong," Sam said as soon as Tony was out of the room.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't need the shirt, lose it, you'll do better without it," Sam joked and Steve just threw the shirt he was wearing at his face, walking to the bathroom to shower.

 

* * *

 

"Princess Mia will be down any second," Sam said to the couple of guys Erskine just acquired, back in the living room. Rhodey chuckled in reply and Tony just frowned at him. "So Rhodey, I heard you're air force?" Sam said, walking to Rhodey, who was sitting on the couch. Rhodey nodded with his lips pressed together.

"What of Steve's asshole friend?" Tony asked from the other side of the room.

"We'll meet him there," Sam replied.

"You know, maybe I should just stay-," Rhodey said but Sam stopped him with a frowned look.

"And give Bucky the satisfaction, c'mon," Sam encouraged him, Rhodey cracked a laugh. "I promise that if he gets too annoying I'll let you smack his head as many times as you'd like, I'll even hold Steve when he comes to stop you if you want," maybe Sam was a really bad friend, or maybe he just really wanted to win the bet.

"I'm ready," Steve said walking into the room. Looking every bit of the cowboy super model he wasn't, but should really be. From the corner of his eye, Sam saw Tony drooling a little.

 

-

 

When they got to Steve's friend's, named Luke, Rhodey could do nothing but smile. Family and friends of Steve and the rest were all around, and Rhodey suddenly felt homesick. It had been a while since he saw his Mamma and his sister. On his last christmas break. And then he got consumed with classes and FT's and PT's and had little-to-no time at all to talk with them. Right now, all he wanted was to call them, but his cellphone had gotten smashed in the car crash. 

"Rhodey?" A small voice called him. Rhodey turned, in disbelief that it could be,

"Carol?" Rhodey barely asked before she threw her arms around him, in a big, tight hug. He held her smiling. Carol Danvers, otherwise known as Rhodey biggest crush back at college. They were part of the same detachment, since they both were AFROTC cadets —Rhodey was AS300 while Carol was still AS250—, and last summer break she'd kissed Rhodey in a party, but she'd been drunk, so Rhodey never brought up the subject. Instead he did what his good mom had taught him and what he wished any man would do with his younger sister and took Carol and laid her on her bed, safe and sound. Then went to sleep in his dorm, alone, with his heart hammering.

Tony used to joke about him being friend-zoned, but Rhodey really didn't care all that much, because Carol was awesome to be around, romantically or not.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, with a big bright smile. Rhodey rolled his eyes.

"It's sorta long story, what about you?" Rhodey asked, with the same enthusiastic curiosity.

"Luke's my cousin, I'm just stopping by, I'll leave tomorrow. I wanna get there soon enough for Academy Freefall," she told him with a smile, and Rhodey cursed because he'd forgotten about that summer program. Crap, he was going to miss it.

"Hey, Danvers," Bucky said from behind them, two sodas on his hands.

Carol turned to him and in her perfect, fake pitched tone she said, "Aw, for me? Thank you," as she took both of the cans and handed one over to Rhodey. She clicked hers open and drank. Rhodey stared at her, amazed and amused. "He's an ass, anyway," she said with a shrug.

"Tell me about it," Rhodey agreed, taking a sip of his soda now.

"I'm standing right here," Bucky announced. Carol half turned to him and Rhodey moved to the side.

And they said, "I know," at unison.

 

Inside the house, in the main living room, Steve was introducing Tony to everyone individually. Tony smiled and shook strangers hands and each time it got annoying he'd just look at the smile Steve would be giving him and every bad feeling would disappear. Tony was the one to casually pin over someone, but something about being clear with Steve felt extremely risky, and Tony didn't want to ruin a perfectly good opportunity for a good lay. Because that's what it was, anyway, right? A _good lay_. He was leaving soon, there was no possible chance for anything other than that. And it wasn't like Tony could do relationships anyway. Why was he even thinking about this?

"Tony, are you okay?" Steve's blue eyes shone with worry. Tony shook his head, coming back from his trance.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"You wanna go outside?" Steve asked, with a shy smile and Tony mustered every ounce of confidence he had in him to calmly reply,

"Hell, yeah."

Once they were out of the crowded house, with the noise of people talking and the country music playing live turning low enough for them to hear each other's voice clearly, Steve said, "You asked me if I was some sort of hero, and now I'm here wondering who you are, Tony Stark," Tony looked at him, confused. Steve walked and sat on a swing that was in the small porch of the house.

Tony stood there for a while and then sat next to Steve. "I'm a genius, piano player prodigy, the life of the party and a playboy," Tony said, cocky-ly raising a brow. Steve gazed at him for a while, and then smiled.

"What are you really?" Steve tried again. Tony held the eye-contact for little-too-long and even threw in a small chuckle, but Steve's deep blue eyes bore into his brown ones, and tore him open.

And he heard himself say, "I'm lost," and that reply apparently sufficed Steve because he nodded and took his gaze from Tony to the front.

"Here?" Steve ventured.

"No, everywhere. Steve," Tony turned to him, and lost himself in deep blue "nothing I do has really any meaning, and if I would've died in that car accident, only one person would've cried, one," Tony said lowly, like the huge secret it was, and he wasn't sure why was he telling this to Steve. But the guy had saved his life, so he figured the least he owed him was honesty. Tony's eyes were shining but the tears never really made it to the surface, "my dad doesn't care about me," Tony said moving his face from Steve, avoiding the hypnotizing eyes. "He sent me here to torture me, not because he wants me to be a good person," he said, looking at his hands, "what he doesn't realize is that my life is pretty sucky in here or in there either way," Tony finished, with a bitter smile.

They stayed there without saying nor doing anything for a while, listening to a sweet melody of a country lullaby song. Steve smiled easily when it finished and everyone inside the house cheered for the singer. Tony looked at Steve, waiting for him to look back, and desperately wondered what was the man thinking of him now.

"Can I tell you something, Tony?" Steve asked, in that honest-to-god tone of his. Tony blinked twice and nodded, slightly leaning in when Steve lowly said, "I think that you're alive for a reason, and that I met you for a reason, and I don't know about you, but, I really wanna find out why," and Tony would've kissed him right there and answered their question if Rhodey hadn't walked out to tell them they were going to sing the Happy Birthday.

 

* * *

 

After they sang Happy Birthday to Luke and had their respective piece of delicious cake, they all said goodbye. When Steve hopped up his white horse and gave Tony his hand so he'd hop too, Tony felt like he was in a dream. But then the horse moved forward slightly and Tony, scared to death, hugged Steve so tightly he almost choked him, although Steve only chuckled, amused.

Steve watched Bucky take his own horse and gave him a warning look. Bucky rolled his eyes and called for Rhodey to get on his horse, with him. Tony shifted from where he was and tried to settle in a comfortable position, still hugging Steve tightly. "Hold onto me, okay?" Steve asked him, and Tony nodded on his shoulder.

"I wanna find out, too, by the way," Tony whispered at Steve's ear. He grinned back and shook the ropes of the horse to make him run to their house.

Behind them, Bucky was narrow-eyed looking at them. "Can we go?" Rhodey asked, from his shoulder when he noticed that all Bucky was doing was deadly-gazing at his friend, like usual.

"You so much as hug me and I'll make you walk your way back, get it?" Bucky threatened at Rhodey's face, which was really close.

Rhodey leaned back and crossed his arms, "Wasn't even planning on touching you," he muttered before Bucky did the same thing with his horse as Steve had with his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, finally a lenght-decent chapter.  
> So what's your bet on Rhodey and Bucky, heh?  
> ps. since it's longer than the regular chapters, I might or might not post the next chapter next sunday, you know, real life gettin' busy and all that...


	6. That Kind Of Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and Tony talk about future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't really like this chapter but things needed to be said and I don't know. Thank God the ending is interesting enough.

 

 

_It's  always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you're going._

_-Anthony Burgess_  
  
---  
  
* * *

Monday came and with it Tony already regretted to have let himself believe that it was going to be easy.

He barely stared with horror at Rhodey as both Steve and Bucky explained to them each one of their tasks. Bucky, the fucker, was grinning the whole time, and Steve made sure to say "It's going to be easy" each time Tony widened his eyes, terrified.

Rhodey exhaled, pressing his lips together and then shrugged when he looked at Tony, showing him that they didn't really have a choice and that being shit-scared wasn't going to fix anything. "Bucky will help you, Rhodey," Steve said, pointing to him.

Did Tony ever mention that it was 6 in the fucking morning?

He yawned as Bucky and Rhodey started their 'I'm-gonna-fuck-you-over' eye contest. And he decided it was best not to laugh. Tony had never seen Rhodey fall into someone's provocation, but on Sunday night Bucky had locked Rhodey up in a closet in the small house-slash-garage, in the back of the main house, they use to keep their tools and old stuff for an hour for no apparent reason, and swore it had been an accident. So if Rhodey hated the guy guts Bucky had it coming. And if something ever did happen, Tony hoped Bucky'd suffer, and promised to be there to record it.

"Tony," Steve's sweet voice sounded in the back of Tony's sleepy brain, and maybe outside, too. "Let's go," he said, starting to walk to the door with Bucky side-passing him quickly.

Rhodey turned to him from the couch he was sitting on, "Don't get yourself killed," he warned.

"Don't murder someone," Tony replied, with a smile while moving his head to the door.

"I won't promise anything," Rhodey joked back. And then they were out.

 

* * *

 

"We need to go downtown, buy the week's groceries, and deliver stuff. You can come with me," Steve told Tony once they reached them, standing right outside the barn —Tony had seen the inside of it when they returned home after Luke’s party last Friday and, as it turned out, it wasn’t just a stable. Steve was brushing his horse's neck with his fingers and looked absolutely stunning with the sunlight. Tony had had one cup of coffee before they got out, so that meant he was still sleepy, and also trying to figure how the hell was he standing. "We're taking the truck," Steve said, walking into the barn, and minutes later, Tony heard an engine start.

"What are we going to do?" Rhodey ask Bucky, who was chewing a tiny twig, very cowboy-ish.

"You know how to ride?" Bucky asked, raising his eyebrows. Rhodey nodded moving his shoulder. "We're going down the lake, help me grab some water," he started, walking inside the garage, and coming back with two buckets "with these," he added, handing them over to Rhodey, “and dispose them, there” he said then, pointing to a well a couple of yards from them.

"How am I going to grab these and ride?" Rhodey asked, frowning.

"You're not," Bucky replied, with a wide smile. "You're gonna walk by me. I'm really just gonna escort you," he said, with a small shrug, and a sarcastic little assholish smile. Tony shook his head and waited for Steve to come back, instead of paying attention to Barnes. "I'd understand if walking it's too much for you, princess," Bucky mocked, and Rhodey bit the inside of his cheek.

Steve's cyan-blue Chevy truck exited the barn and Steve stopped just outside the farm, by the fence. He took his hand out of the window and motioned for Tony to come with him. "Good luck," Tony muttered, and Bucky laughed.

"Yeah, he'll need it," Bucky said, crossing his arms together.

"I was talking to you, moron."

That had been the start of it and the following days came to Tony smoothly. They still woke up at six am and returned home at 5pm, but he'd spend all that time with Steve, cracking at their silly topics, listening to his stories, each time more and more amazed at the guy, so that made it all somehow worthy. They ran lots of errands through the whole town, delivered supplies to almost every store or house and, on Wednesday, helped a little in a small shelter.

Steve told Tony goodnight with a bright smile on his face every night, and Rhodey had been far too tired to hear him brag about it. Tony almost started to feel bad for his friend because, well, apparently he was the one getting punished. That up until he heard that Rhodey was hell-bent on not letting the guy see him tired, and after all Rhodey was a man of action. His training was nothing to compare to whatever it was Bucky made him do every day, anyway. Rhodey, smiling satisfied, even mentioned how, by Thursday, Bucky was frustrated that he hadn't given up already.

So Rhodey was somewhat happy with how their "vacations" turned out. All the while, Tony was starting to get worried at the twirling feeling his stomach made every time he saw Steve.

* * *

"Do you want to have some ice cream?" Steve asked when they stopped at a red light. It was Friday afternoon and they were already done for the week. Steve promising him that next week would be more fun because he'll get to milk Rosie, the farm's very first cow —Steve said he had seen her grew up—. Tony wasn't all that happy about the idea.

"Can we?" Steve shrugged.

"We're done for the week," Steve trailed his request and Tony wondered if he was being asked on a date.

He figured that either way, 'no' wasn't a possible answer. "I'd love to," Tony answered, grinning widely as his heart flipped over in his chest.

* * *

“Steve!” a brunet called him when they made it to the center of the Ice Cream shop. The place was full.

“Darcy?” Steve asked, passing by three guys and a girl, difficultly getting to the counter, hand clenched to Tony’s arm tightly. “What’s with all these people?” he asked her. She was licking a lollipop and someone behind her was bitching about it.

“Selvig’s idea,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Peggy, your boyfriend’s here!” she screamed suddenly to some Peggy and Tony’s heart might have or might have not stopped. Steve laughed at him shyly, even blushing a little.

“Darcy,” he whispered to her. She waved her hand in front of her face and turned to Tony.

“I’m joking. Who are you?” she asked Tony, licking her lollipop once more.

“Tony,” Steve replied for him, “he’s staying with us, one friend of his, too,” he explained while Darcy nodded.

“And he doesn’t know English?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“He does,” Tony said before Steve could answer for him. “Hello,” he said, showing his hand up the counter so she’d shake it.

“Darcy, get in here!” a woman’s voice echoed through the back room to where they were standing, and probably the whole place, too.

“Why?” Darcy shouted back, just as loudly.

“My shift is over, it’s your turn!” Darcy groaned at the reply she got from the acute voice.

“That means Goldilocks is here,” she told Steve, who just chuckled.

“He came back from Norway?” Steve asked, raising his eyebrows, leaning into the counter. Darcy nodded and took a tiny notepad from her chest’s pocket.

“Same ol’?” She asked him, clicking her pen. Steve nodded eagerly. “And him?”

“What are you having?” Tony asked Steve. He opened his mouth to reply,

“The American flag,” Darcy joked, interrupting Steve. “It’s vanilla, strawberry and blueberry, Mister America’s over here favorite,” she explained, pointing at Steve.

“It’s really good,” Steve said with a shrug.

“I can combine anything I want?” Tony asked Darcy, she nodded a little bit condescendingly. They stared at him for a moment while he decided. Then, “Maybe lime and cherry?”

“Wow, don’t go too crazy, dude,” she muttered sarcastically, before heading to the freezers.

“Say hi to Thor when you see him!” Steve shouted, before she disappeared.

When she arrived with their ridiculously colorful ice-cream the place was a bit less full than it had been. Steve picked a four-people table and took a seat, Tony taking the one in front of him.

“When she said the American flag, she really meant it, wow,” Tony commented as Steve tried his Ice cream. He simply shrugged.

“It reminds me of my mom,” Steve said, a melancholic smile growing on his face for a moment. “We used to get this on the hottest day of summer, we could only afford so much as one every three months or so. With the good money Erskine gives me, I can have one each time I want,” he said before taking another bite of his ice cream, “but I make sure on not wasting it on ice cream, though,” he finished, with that bright smile of his.

Tony looked down when his stomach made that weird move it did every time he saw Steve’s smile. He smiled at Steve minutes later, when his body stopped acting funny on him.

“Steve?” another brunet girl came from behind. Steve turned to her and stopped eating his ice cream to stand and give her a tight hug. _Oh, there was that other weird feeling again._

“Pegs,” Steve muffled at her shoulder. She was tiny, and breath-taking-kind-of gorgeous. She was also wearing the shop’s blue and white uniform. “This is Tony,” Steve said, moving awkwardly out of the way. She smiled and shook Tony’s hand.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” she said.

“Have you? I’ve heard nothing about you,” Tony said, trying to hide his bitterness. He looked at Steve, questioning.

“We used to go to school together,” Peggy said, taking a seat. Steve followed, taking his seat again.

“She’s one of the most awesome girls I’ve ever met,” and really, someone should give Tony an Oscar because he had to sit there for an entire hour and pretend like he didn’t want the girl to leave him and Steve alone.

“So what’s with all of these people?” Steve said later on. They were just talking about a Sharon and a Maria and Tony had fake-laughed the whole damned time. He’d passed from being on a perfect little un-planned date to being the third wheel of one, and he hated that.

“Selvig offered one free ice cream to all those who helped on the old church,” Peggy replied, taking a bite of the ice cream she just got. “Schmidt was trying to get his dirty hands on it, too,” she spat.

“Who’s Schmidt?” Tony wondered, bored.

“He’s a businessman,” Steve answered, but Peggy shook her hand while she swallowed.

“He’s an asshole,” she corrected. “Means to buy the whole town and turn it into his little twisted Utopia,” she explained, narrowing her eyes.

“He wants to build malls and tall, executive buildings,” Steve said, and Tony widened his eyes.

“That’s so gre —,” he beamed.

“—and probably contaminate the whole town with machinery,” Steve finished.

“—bad,” Tony corrected himself, biting his lip at last.

After a really awkward minute of silence, “Look, you city people don’t get it, but we’re actually good this way,” Peggy said, shrugging by the end of her sentence, and resting her back on her chair.

“We’ve had charity events for the whole month, just to help everybody pay their taxes so Schmidt wouldn’t force them to sell their properties,” Steve told him, a worried gesture taking form.

“Well, I’m sure it’s not all that bad,” Tony said instead. “I mean, there’s no harm in civilization,”

“Wow,” Peggy cut him.

“What?” Tony asked her, confused.

“You think we’re not civilized? Because we don’t have subways or big buildings or shiny malls?” she asked, narrowing her brow. Suddenly, Tony felt afraid.

“ _No_ …” he trailed. Peggy huffed in reply.

“Look, Tony, it’s okay. You’ve lived a different life than we have, here,” Steve tried to ease the waters. “What Pegs is trying to say it’s that we feel good this way, so there’s no need to change anything,”

“How can feel good in this place?” Tony asked. Steve looked at him confused for a moment and then shrugged.

“Because I do,” he said, frowning.

“That’s because you’ve never been out, big boy,” Tony said, chuckling, looking outside the window. “This small town is nothing to compare with the outside world. The quietness, emptiness, _boredom_ of this place doesn’t compare to feeling like you own the entire world in just one night, out in the city. Just one night, Steve,” he told the couple in front of him. Tony was fifteen but he’d lived things not many guys of his age had, with being a genius in college and all that. He had lived New York City at night, he had _owned_ it. He had gone out at 7 and came back the next day, smelling like perfumes he never wore, clothing all messed up, but a good feeling in his gut telling him he had had fun. “There’s just so little happiness you can find in here,” he muttered, smiling condescendingly.

Steve and Peggy were looking at him straight, so Tony stopped smiling after a while. None of them said nothing again, just when Peggy left —politely saying goodbye. Steve paid for their ice creams and got to the truck with his mouth closed.

Tony was actually beginning to worry. “Was it something I said?” Tony asked when they hit the first red light, looking out the window to the review mirror.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Steve replied serious, but his eyebrows were curving lightly to a small frown. Tony didn’t ask anymore

 _‘Way to go, Stark,’_ he whispered in his head. Well, this was the perfect end to a perfect non-date.

The road back home was quiet as hell, all the while Tony played back and forth what could’ve happened. He was pretty sure his perfect acting skills made it impossible for Steve to notice he hadn’t enjoyed Peggy’s somewhat nosy company.   He really had no idea.

But who was he kidding? If Steve didn’t like him, Tony couldn’t really have blamed him. Southern hospitality was all Steve had showed him, maybe not real friendship —let alone anything else.

When they entered the barn Tony had already given up on trying finding out what happened that made Steve feel cold next to him. Tony quietly exited the old truck and carried his feet through the straw-covered floor, head down.

“What do you have planned for you, Tony?” Steve asked suddenly, from across the truck’s wagon. His face looked truly worried. “Do you see yourself happy in that business-full future you’ll have once you finish college?” Tony knew Steve wasn’t trying to be mean, but the truth hurt like hell. Tony had told Steve through their shared week how his future was planned for him since even before he was born. Graduating summa cum laude, becoming Stark Industries CEO once his old man grew tired of doing it himself. Tony didn’t even consider other things.

“Oh, so that’s what it was about?” Tony deflected. Steve shook his head and walked towards him.

He stood in front of Tony. Much taller than him, the teen felt trapped between the truck and Steve. Blue eyes held his as he talked again, “Do you really think I should try the city? Do you think that’d make me happy?” Steve asked. “Do you think I’d rather be in a place where people don’t even acknowledge other people? Where they treat each other like strangers, like they’re all bad people? This town might not be as shiny as you’d like it to be, Tony, but its people it's what makes me keep my hope in human kind. We’re all family here; we all help each other through hard times, share laughs and tears, have each other’s back. Do you think I’d find something like that in your beloved city?” Tony stared back at Steve’s blue eyes, watching them get brighter and brighter as Steve spoke. He said nothing, because he had no argument to refute. Steve was right. “I understand you have your reasons to want to leave, but living here is one of the best things that could ever happen to anyone, Tony,” he finished. A confident smile showing at the end.

Tony looked another way but at Steve, “I’d guess you’re right, to feel that way, anyway, this place’s your home,” Tony realized. He pressed his lips together and looked at Steve again. “But how many things can you do in here, anyway? You can be so much more, if you want,” Tony offered, smiling easily.

“How do you know that?”

“Because you’re that kind of guy, Steve,” Tony said, shrugging.

“What kind?” Steve asked, a funny but confused smile curving into his lips.

“The kind that’s perfect at anything,” Tony said, curving his mouth downside his jaw, in a careless gesture. Steve chuckled shyly, and without noticing leaned closer.

“You really think I’m good at everything?”

“— _Perfect_ , I said perfect,” Tony flirted, raising his cocky eyebrows and leaning into Steve as well.

Loudly, the door of the barn cracked open and Rhodey walked in, all covered in mud and angry as hell.

“Aw, princess, are you allergic to mud?” Bucky walked in, laughing. Rhodey turned back to him and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“I’m sick tired of your attitude,” he muttered at Bucky’s face, who’s grin was growing bigger and bigger as Rhodey intimidatingly pulled him closer.

“Whatcha’ gonna do about it, huh?” he teased. Boy, that guy had a serious death wish. Rhodey looked like he was about to breathe fire.

“Guys?” Steve called, because they didn’t seem to have notice them at all. Rhodey dropped the guy almost pushing him away, hard.

“What’s going on?” Bucky frowned when he saw Steve —trapping Tony against the truck and his body.

“I could ask the same question,” Steve replied instead, walking to them. “What happened, Rhodey?”

“What happened? _He_ happened!” Rhodey pointed at Bucky in the most childish ridiculous kind of way. Tony was actually cracking inside.

Steve shook his head at Bucky, who just turned over to where Rhodey was standing “It’s not my fault princess here can’t stand a little mud,” he mocked, pouting at Rhodey.

“You made me fall, you immature piece of shit!” Rhodey shouted, walking to Bucky again. Steve placed himself between both men while Tony just watched the show.

“Maybe you should’ve taken the hint and left,” Bucky muttered, crossing his arms together.

“You’d love that, wouldn’t you?” Rhodey said over Steve’s shoulder. “I’m not going to give you the satisfaction, asshole,” Rhodey spat, Bucky drawing a challenging smile on his face.

“Don’t listen to him, Rhodey,” Steve said, between them. “Why don’t you go wash up while Bucky and I have really-long-really- _ugly_ conversation about how a grown young man should treat another?” Steve told Rhodey, looking over his shoulder to yell at his friend the last part.

Tony, instead of being angry at the fact he just got cockblocked, just really wished he could’ve had popcorn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback makes the grinch inside me happy, guys C:  
> Ps. Sorry again for my crappy english


	7. The best fuckin' sound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why Bucky is the way he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember when I said this story isn't just only about Steve and Tony? Yeah, well, _I meant it._
> 
> WARNING: Mentions of drugs, alcohol, sexual advances and assholish people.

_Every single one's got a story to tell._

* * *

 

As he'd predicted, Saturday wasn't any piece of cake either. It was official, Rhodey hated horses, and cows, and James fucking Barnes. 

The guy— the freakin' little prick had slaved him for that whole first week. Even made him call him 'Mister' and bullshit. And Rhodey had let it slide because it was actually hilarious. Senseless hate he felt towards them and the guy actually thought he was getting Rhodey to be tired. Any ridiculous stunt Barnes made him do would never compare to Major Bones training sessions.   
  
On Sunday, however, Rhodey had been so freaking tired —and angry— that he fell asleep and woke at ten am, surprised that Barnes hadn't bitched about it. When he got out of his bedroom Tony was looking at him with a ridiculous, absent-minded smile and Rhodey just knew what it was about. Last Friday he interrupted something —not to mention what he clearly interrupted on that party past weekend—, but he'd been far too lost in his anger to bother to excuse himself, or even ask Tony later on.   
  
"You good?" Rhodey asked, grinning.   
  
"Sure. But I'm the one with the good boy scout, you got the asshole," Tony said, as they walked through the hallway, going down the stairs.   
  
"He thinks he has me figured out. He's got so much bullshit on his head I swear he's surpassed your high score," Rhodey muttered, annoyed.   
  
"Okay, don't get worked up," Tony eased, smiling anyway. They got to the living room to find it empty. Looked at each other for a moment and then went to kitchen.   
  
Across the room, stuck to the fridge was a small note: _'We went to Sam's to help him out with something. You only have to clean up the barn a little. Thanks guys. We'll be back at 6'_ -SR.  
  
So they brushed their teeth, dressed up and got to work.  
  
It wasn't such a big mess, nothing Barnes hadn't made Rhodey —all alone— do on Thursday, anyway. They (read: _Rhodey_ ) picked up the old straws and swept off the dirt and then put new straw, fed the horses, cleaned all the stables and when Rhodey looked at it, it was already dark outside. He was dropping the dried mopes on the small sink the barn had when he heard Steve and Sam laughs.   
  
He kicked Tony's feet to wake him conscious —he'd been lying on the bench since they got there and eventually fallen asleep. "Hey guys," Steve said, pulling the doors open.   
  
"Steve?" Tony called, still sleepy. "Hey, it's six!" He told Rhodey, who just raised his eyebrows as he nodded.   
  
"We're going to watch some old movies at Clint's —he's a friend, you'll like him," Steve invited them, but he wasn't looking at Rhodey. "Though, if you feel too tired, you can rest all you want. We're watching Footloose tonight, you know, summer love, great story," he babbled.   
  
Rhodey chuckled and Sam palmed Steve on the shoulder. "Smooth," he joked, walking from behind him to stand at his side. "Anyway, Rhodes, if you're old enough, we're going to this new bar they opened downtown," Sam offered, smiling. "You know, everything but summer _love_ ," he mocked.   
  
"That's cool, I don't want that," he joked back. "But who's 'we'?" He intrigued, well knowing who 'we' was.   
  
"Just come," Sam said, narrowing his eyes, but smiling. He took off to the house with Steve, leaving Tony and Rhodey to follow. 

 

* * *

  
  
"It's really cool, small and somewhat warm, I don't know," Sam said as they got out of his Jeep. Barnes wasn't even in the house when they got there, so they left, and Rhodey didn't really care to ask where he was as far as he was away. "Plus, it's open to all kinds of people,"   
  
"Even city people?" Rhodey joked as he pushed the door open.   
  
The place was crowded. Music was loud and... _electronic_ —the whole bar, scratch that, _disco_ , didn't match the rest of the rustic and southern environment of the town. At all. Rhodey actually blinked twice in disbelief. Then he got a glimpse of the people. Laughing, dancing, enjoying themselves. There were girls dancing with girls, with guys, and guys dancing with guys and Rhodey understood Sam wasn't talking about city people.   
  
"Oh," Rhodey swoly, silly, let out. Sam slapped his back and walked past him.   
  
"Wait, this isn't an issue for you, is it?" He asked, returning to face him. Rhodey shook his head, raising an eyebrow. And then Sam smiled and walked to the counter, calling someone with two fingers. "Ben!" He clapped his hand with another bald guy's.   
  
"How are ya', man?" He greeted. "Who's this?" He asked at Rhodey's way.   
  
"He's staying at Steve's,"   
  
"Ah, you're one of the dudes from the city?" He asked, offering his hand. Rhodey took it, nodding with a friendly smile. "Whatcha' want dude? It's on the house," he asked, opening his arms, showing the bottles on the shelf behind him.   
  
"Seriously?" Rhodey asked, smiling widely.  
  
"Southern hospitality, man," he said, with a shrug.   
  
"Cool," Rhodey said, cracking a laugh while looked at Sam. "Jack Daniels, with ice," he asked. And that was the beginning of four and then five and then six rounds.   
  
"You're drinking me under the table here, Rhodes," Sam said, swallowing tightly what was probably his thirteenth beer.   
  
"In my detachment, guys are like all German or something. On summer break, I think we all managed to be wasted for like a whole week, none of our superior officers noticed, though," he commented, taking a sip of his glass, laughing.   
  
"How is it there?" Sam asked, blinking slowly.   
  
"Well, you know, it's hard. But it's good, man, I mean, you feel like you're part of something. It's a huge responsibility, but it makes you feel good to stand for your country," he answered.   
  
"That why you do it?" Rhodey nodded, and then Sam mirrored the motion. "That sounds cool."  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Rhodey asked, downing the remaining of his drink. Sam moved his hand, telling him to ask away. "Why does Barnes hate city people?"   
  
Sam looked at him for a second and then sighed. "It's not my story to tell but, well, since you're gonna deal with him for the next week-or-so, I guess you ought to know. Besides," he downed his beer in a quick swallow, "I'm drunk," he said, closing his eyes while raising his eyebrows as both men laughed "I'll tell you; Bucky got here when he was around eight, with his mom and his dad. They came from Indiana, lived in a small apartment in the city, typical American young family. Suddenly, Bucky's dad was gone. One day he went to get groceries, never came back. Steve got here around that time —orphaned kid that Erskine took in because he used to be a friend of Steve's mom. Bucky's mom hears of this, misundterstands the whole deal and decides to leave Bucky there for a while —didn't matter how many times Erskine told her his house wasn't a shelter, but Steve and Bucky had bonded so tightly that eventually Erskine let Bucky stay, just for the sake of Steve—, all the while she looked for her husband. But she never came back," Sam finished, with his mouth curving into a sad sort-of pout. He ordered another beer and continued, "They went to the city when Bucky was eleven, some science conference trip of Erskine. Bucky sees his father in this expensive-looking tuxedo and stands there in front of him, doing nothing, just looking at him in shock. The dude didn't even look back at him. Then a woman in an executive suit came and kissed him, it was Bucky's mom. Man, two years they hadn't seen their son and they didn't even realize he was right in front of them on that small coffee shop," Sam said, as he took a sip of his beer.   
  
Rhodey was silent, shocked at the sad little tragic life the asshole that had made these last days for him a living hell had. "They never looked for him again?"   
  
"Bucky's mom was seventeen when she had him. His father was not so much older, so, I don't know, they tried to make it work for eight years but then they sort of...quitted, I think, maybe they thought it was better for him. Though, last thing Bucky heard is that they work at Oscorp, your little friend's dad's competition," he raised his eyebrows.   
  
"That's really sad," Rhodey muttered, frowning. He took a sip of his drink to ease the knot inside his throat.   
  
"Oh, that's just the beginning. Aren't you gonna order another one?" Sam asked him, pointing at his now empty glass. Rhodey called the bartender asking for another glass —how many were they now?— And looked at Sam, waiting for him to continue. "There was this little brat in high school, Arnim Zola, German family, came from Washington, lots of money. He pulled a prank two days before the end of our freshmen year and managed to get Bucky blamed for it. He got expelled from going to prom and had to do community service, during summer. Bucky hated the guy for the entire year, the brat left town by Christmas". That story just actually made Rhodey want to laugh. Sam took another sip of his beer and looked at it as he sighed. He bit his bottom lip, smiling bitterly. "Then came summer break after graduating from high school. We went with Erskine to California. Steve was still sixteen so he couldn't come with us to the bar. We weren't legally able to drink but that didn't stop us," a small laugh made it through Sam's speech, and then he went back to the serious tone, "man, we were laughing, playing pool. I turn to get my drink in the counter and when I look back Bucky has this guy totally at him, flirting and trying to kiss him and stuff. I tried to push him away but Bucky took the guy by his wrist and pulled him to the dance floor. They were rubbing each other while dancing to the music and I was standing there, and then Steve called me, freaked out of his mind. I went outside so I could talk with him better but when I came back Bucky's nowhere to be found. So I dialed his cellphone and he answers saying he's to have some fun and that I should've stop worrying so much. And that he'd call me later. We weren't even that drunk and Bucky had looked at the guy with _amazed_ eyes, like he'd found this entire other world and it was amazing. I mean, it's not something that I understand, I don't particularly play for that team but you know," Sam gave him a short shrug and sighed, "I thought it was gonna be just that:  _fun_ for him, but by afternoon Bucky came back acting all weird. Later on he told me he woke up to an empty bed and some note saying ' _it's been fun, but you're still just a boy from an old little town. Find me when you wake up and decide to be something more'_ ," he shook his head and drank his beer, swallowing it all hard. Rhodey had been staring at him the whole time, and felt unbelievably bad for calling Bucky all the bad things he had. _Jesus_ , he didn't even know the guy. "I looked for the dude the next day at the same bar, told the guys I was going to take a walk. Didn't find him— and I'm not saying Bucky fell in love with him but you know, first time and everything, it was kind of important. When we came back Bucky started sleeping with everything with a heartbeat that let him try them. More guys than girls, usually. Never really had anything that lasted more than two weeks. Steve didn't get it, but I did. Man, I've apologized for letting him go with that jerk countless times, but Bucky says it was only his fault. It all escalated from there. This girl Janet came along the Christmas of that year, nice and fun but Bucky hadn't even met her yet and he was already claiming he didn't like her. Each time someone from the city came, you know to visit family or whatever, Bucky hated on them without so much of a reason. It's like, you know how some people started to hate on every Arab-looking person after 9-11? Well, it's kinda something like that. I mean, I don't blame him, but I also don't support that he is that way. But what are you going to do?" Sam shrugged. "Even last year, Bucky got into this sort of relationship with Natasha, the girl that assisted you in the hospital?"   
  
"Oh, yeah, the nurse," Rhodey remembered.   
  
"Well, she's not a nurse yet, but yeah. They dated for like 6 months, really nice and healthy relationship. Natasha, like Bucky, has been through some harsh stuff, too. But one day it was like that was all gone, they started fighting, growing apart from each other. Then comes Clint, the guy Steve's at his house right now, he came with the circus, he stayed after Fury gave him a job at his book store. He and Natasha became friends real quick. And then Bucky and Natasha broke up,"   
  
"She left him for the other guy?" Rhodey asked, astonished. _She seemed so nice._  
  
"No," Sam answered. "She's not even dating Clint. _Yet_ , anyway," he sighed. He'd been looking at his empty bottle from quite a long time now, and decided it was time for another. "Well, that's the story of why he is the way he is," and he looked at Rhodey for the first time since he started talking. "He's a really good guy though, you just have to past through the part of him that hates everything," he said chuckling, and then they both started laughing.   
  
"— but then I said, Sam's not that cool," Bucky came behind him and palmed Sam in the shoulder. He leaned to his face, "What the hell is this guy doing here?" He muttered with a sarcastic grin on his face. Rhodey rolled his eyes.   
  
"' _This guy_ ' has a name, and it's actually the same as yours, Bucky," Rhodey said, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Bucky.  
  
"My friends call me 'Bucky'. _You_ are not my friend," he cut off. He turned to look at Sam again, ignoring Rhodey as he rolled his eyes. "Why did you bring him here?"   
  
"He's 21,"   
  
"He's fresh meat," Bucky replied back, giving Rhodey his back. "And the guy's in the closet,"  
  
"Wait, wha—" Rhodey started, behind them.   
  
"I think Rhodey's pretty capable of getting himself out of situations he doesn't wanna be in," Sam said, confused.   
  
"You're both wasted,"   
  
"Why do you care so much?" Rhodey whispered behind them. Bucky turned to look at him but said nothing.   
  
"Sam, he's gonna get in trouble. He shouldn't be here,"   
  
"You know, Barnes," Rhodey shouted. Both Sam and Bucky turned to look at him. "You've been saying that since I got in this town and I'm tired of hearing it," he stood up, "I was having fun with my buddy Sam here, so I'm not gonna let you ruin it. Sam," he offered his hand at him "you wanna dance?" And Sam's laugh could be heard even with the loud music.   
  
"No, man, you go on your own," he said, shaking his head, still laughing. Rhodey shrugged and side-passed both men to the dance floor, not before taking his drink with him and drinking as he danced. "That dude is _fun_ ," Sam muttered, while Bucky looked at him with a raised eyebrow, crossing his arms. Sam looked at Bucky watching Rhodey move with slow music, dancing with strangers, and smiled. "I'm going to pee, brb," he said as Bucky nodded.   
  
Bucky stared at Rhodey surprised to see the serious, right-to-god, military college student lose himself on the dance floor. Never really thought Rhodes had it in him. Gyrating bodies parted to let him in, and the light-brown eyed dark man danced with the group, never really setting on one person. Bucky was in awe, he had no idea Rhodey could dance with such reckless abandon, like it didn't matter who was watching.   
  
However, a lot of people were watching the new kid in town show off his moves. Some blonde chick came in front of Rhodey and slipped something into his mouth. Bucky started to move his head to try and place the guy better, and Sam hadn't come back from the bathroom. Then Bucky saw Hodge making his way into the mass of bodies, easing toward Rhodey as though it was an accident that found them pressed so closely together and not a calculated move.   
Bucky looked around trying to place Sam on the disco. But then turned again to look at Steve's high school bully subtly working the buff dark man away from the other dancers. Caught up in the pounding rhythm and the moment, Rhodey was oblivious. When Hodge's hand, none too discreetly, slipped beneath Rhodey's shirt to caress his stomach, the rules of the game changed. Someone needed to step in before Hodge screwed the poor guy over.   
  
Bucky kept looking around for Sam, considering for a second if he should just pull the guy away before he did something he'd regret. Then Hodge reached out and fondled Rhodey's ass. Rhodey, lost in his own little world, didn't pull away. That was dangerous considering who he was dancing with. Hodge didn't believe in subtlety, and would take anything short of a slap as encouragement. Their dancing looked more like something he saw in the gay clubs of the cities in TV shows or movies than a small bar in Rockwell, Nebraska. 

Bucky took one more look around and decided that he had no option but to step in himself. He pushed his way through unyielding bodies, trying to get there in time. He groaned loud as Rhodey turned and left the dance floor, not a bit surprised when a grinning Hodge followed a split second later. This was also something he'd seen in TV, and participated in on an occasion a while back, in a trip he took to Omaha with Erskine once. Was this guy born yesterday? Someone needed to leave a copy of the Gay Handbook lying around so dumb straight boys didn't blunder into situations like this. Why the hell wasn't Sam taking care of his naïve new friend?

As self-appointed guardian Bucky quietly followed them into the large bathroom and positioned himself just inside the door. He'd keep his distance and, if the inadvertent come-on was an innocent mistake, he'd take care of it. However, if Rhodey accepted Hodge's advances then there was nothing he could do but walk away. 

"Hey, man, you want another beer?" The predator asked. 

"Nah, I'm good. I think I've had enough already, I'm feeling funny." Rhodey looked genuinely confused. 

"Aww, one more won't hurt. You don't have to drive yourself home, you can stay here" he looked at him for a moment and then dropped all pretense and boldly embraced Rhodey. "We have plenty of room," he purred, lips only a breath away from his captive's, the suggestive tone confirming just which room he was offering. Bucky's protective instincts -finely honed by what felt like a lifetime spent as Steve's somewhat older brother- rose in all their fierce glory.

Hodge pressed the bottle he had in his hand into Rhodey's hand and Bucky cleared his throat loudly in warning, "He said he's had enough," he growled, emerging from the shadows. 

"Barnes!" Rhodey exclaimed, jumping away from Hodge, the relief oblivious in his eyes.

So, the blunder was an innocent one, after all. 

Hodge, unaware of the change of circumstance, slowly turned his head to face his challenger as if not at all surprised to find him there "He's free and twenty one," he stated flatly, a self-satisfied smile on his face. Bucky was certain that the added, "He can make up his own mind," didn't just refer to the beer. 

"He's _straight_ , Hodge," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"You didn't see the way he was dancing out there,"

"I did, actually. But he's drunk and I'm pretty sure baked," Bucky said, raising an eyebrow, as took a glimpse of Rhodey, standing next to Hodge, blinking slowly as if he was sleepy.

"I don't really see how this concerns you, Barnes, but they guy invited me here. Didn't you, Rhodey?" 

"What?! No, I didn't," he denied emphatically, eyes wide in disbelief. 

"Yes, you did!" chorused Bucky and Hodge in unison.

"No, I didn't," Rhodey mumbled under his breath. Hodge and Bucky both turned their attention to the fight for dominance, momentarily ignoring their prize. 

Bucky smiled and it wasn't at all pleasant. "This isn't about you, Hodge. This is about who you've been pawing. I'm not letting you take advantage of him. He doesn't bat for our team and doesn't know what he's doing." Turning to Rhodey, Bucky nonchalantly asked, "You do realize that within oh, say — fifteen minutes Gilmore here intended to have you face down on his bed while he carved your name on his bedpost, right?" 

Rhodey's stunned look assured Bucky that sex with Hodge wasn't what he'd intended. In fact, he gave up any pretense of good manners and fled to the other side of the room, hiding behind Bucky, who smiled, amused. 

Hodge looked at them for a moment and then sighed. Waving his hand he said, "Whatever," as he took off. 

"You look like you're gonna fall down," he said, small smile on his face. 

"What the fuck just happened?" He asked confused, eyes downcast. 

Now, that was a very good question. "You gotta watch yourself around Hodge, he's an opportunistic dick. He saw you drinking and well, kinda loose, and took the chance. And yeah, you were sending out some signals."

"But _why_ did he think I would... You know?" He asked softly. 

"Like he said, you were dancing...," Bucky walked towards him, shrugging. "Jesus, Rhodes, you were sort of advertising yourself out there! He just took the chance to see what would happen."

Rhodey flinched. "Advertising?" He asked in a small voice. 

Bucky sighed. "You were making it pretty clear that you were available." 

"I was? I was just dancing," 

Nobody could be that naïve. Bucky face palmed, smiling. "Look, dude, you're not in your little hetero world here, it's a small town, full of people dying to meet new people." At Rhodey's befuddled look, Bucky explained. "Imagine a gay bar full of men looking for one thing, they're dancing; or rather they're bumping and grinding against each other like you were doing out there. Anyway, one guy leaves and the other follows him to the back bathroom." Rhodey's startled expression told just how ignorant he was of such matters. Damn it, he really was that naïve after all, and it was fucking cute. Bucky smiled, though he fought not to, "Congratulations, air force," Bucky said in exasperation "you just issued your first _'meet-me-at-the-back-room-for-a-blowjob'_ invitation and it was accepted." 

Rhodey stood in shock for more minutes and Bucky couldn't hold it anymore. He burst into laughter and Rhodey looked at him frowning. "I don't get what's so funny..."

"That you didn't have any fucking clue," Bucky replied, still laughing. 

Rhodey looked at him for a second and then walked to the sink. Supporting his body against the sink of the bathroom. Then he really settled on watching Bucky laugh. And realized that what was the best fucking sound he'd ever heard. "Thanks," he said, after Bucky stopped laughing. Bucky breathed in and sighed, while he looked back again "for not letting him have his way with me. I'm not feeling all like myself," Rhodey added, rubbing his forehead with his thumb. 

"Yeah, well, it's not like it's the first time I save your tight little perfect ass," Bucky bragged, with a shrug. 

"Was that a compliment about my ass?" 

"You're drunk and baked, you're not going to remember it," Bucky said quickly, like he'd thought of that before saying it. 

"Well, then in that case it's safe to say this," Rhodey walked towards Bucky again. He fixed his eyes on his and spoke, "You know you're wrong right?" He whispered, feeling sleepy and too tired to talk loud.

Bucky raised his eyebrows " _About.._."

"About why you hate me," Rhodey said. "I mean, just because some people that have hurt you share the same... address, or whatever, doesn't mean they're all the same. I, for one, wouldn't leave you, you know, if you were my kid. Nor pull a prank and have you blamed. Nor steal your girlfriend," then he looked down, avoiding deep, blue eyes. "Nor, sleep with you and — uh, leave like it wasn't a big deal," 

"Why did Sam tell you that?" Bucky asked, angry.

"I'm drunk and baked, I won't remember," Rhodey answered, with a shrug. Bucky looked at him, studying him. But then he sighed and looked another way. 

"I don't hate you, Rhodes," he muttered. 

"I know. You play the asshole card so I won't try to get close to you, so I won't hurt you," Rhodey said simply, still looking down. Bucky moved his face to look at him, surprised how Rhodey read that so quickly. But he wasn't going to admit it. Rhodey gave him a small, curved smile "I know a guy who did that, too. If you must know, he's kinda my best friend now," he shrugged. 

"So you have a weakness for troubled, broken and full of issues people? How's that a good thing?" Bucky asked, frowning. 

"I guess, we'll have to see," Rhodey closed his mouth and then sort of pouted, still sleepy. 

Before Bucky could say anything more Sam's head popped out of the door the bathroom, breathless for running. "My god, here you are!" He breathed. 

"You're the worst babysitter ever, Wilson," Bucky accused. Sam shrugged and stepped inside. 

"Maybe that's because I'm not one," he simply said. "Where the hell were you?" 

"Where the hell were _you_? Weren't you supposed to be here?" Bucky asked back. 

"Ben lets me go to the kitchen's bathroom, this place is too nasty. And we started talking about a problem he has with Alicia, but I came back like six minutes later and you weren't anywhere. What happened?" He asked, looking at both of them. 

"Nothing big, but you should get Rhodes outta here, he's drunk and someone might've drugged him," Sam widened his eyes, in horror. "He's fine, though. I'm going home, too," 

"Can you take him then? Ben's really bumped for this thing and he kinda wants to talk to someone," and Sam expected Bucky to complain but all he did was wave his hand and nod lightly. Sam frowned at him and then looked at Rhodey, whose eyes kept closing slowly and opening quickly -Sam actually smiled at that, but then he took off without asking any questions. 

"Come on, Rhodes, before you fall asleep on this dirty floor," Bucky ordered as he walked to the door, Rhodey was standing still. 

"I'm going with you...in your horse?" 

"No, I took the bike tonight," 

"I'm going with you _in your bike_?"

"What's the matter?" Bucky frowned and Rhodey started laughing lightly. 

He stopped and looked at Bucky, serious now "I don't do back seat, Bucky," and Bucky's mind played him this dirty little game called 'Surprise boner!' So he swallowed. But then Rhodey started laughing again and Bucky was able to breathe. 

"Just walk," he said, almost pushing him out the bathroom from his shoulder. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me if it sucks, okay?


	8. Hey Steven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picnics more like barbecues

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this one's shorter than the last ones I've published. #sadface But you know, christmas, family times and all that. I hope I make it up to you with the next one ;)
> 
> Hope you like it, though.

 

  _Hey Steven,_ _I know looks can be deceiving b_ _ut I know I saw a light in you.  
_ _And as we walked._ _We were talking —_ _I didn't say half the things I wanted to._

  
_Hey Steven, boy, you might have me believing  
_ _I don't always have to be alone._

* * *

_  
_

Rhodey's head was hammering. He opened his eyes and as quickly shut them close. The goddamned sun light felt like a slap from heaven, like God telling you not to drink that way again. Rhodey groaned into his pillow and rolled over.

He awkwardly noticed he was wearing his dark-blue Academy sweat pants and vaguely wondered who the hell put those on. He remembered he wasn't wearing that when he left home, but he didn't recall undressing and sliding into them. Truth to be told he remembered most part of the evening, but somewhere between him and Bucky in a bathroom and then taking off was anything but a blur. He might've fallen asleep on Bucky's back on the way home, but he wasn't sure. And then there was that surprising fact: Bucky had actually been a decent piece of man with him last night. Kudos.

Then Rhodey remembered all he'd learned about the complicated guy hours before. About his sad, tragic past. Rhodey threw a hand to his forehead and rolled down to cover his eyes. He sighed and got up, trying to decide which face was he going to give the world today, and more importantly, which one was he going to give Bucky.

He took a quick, refreshing shower and tried to ease his thoughts. _'Always the need of helping troubled people, Jesus, Rhodes. You have an unhealthy habit._ ' There it was, the slight but firm need to talk to Bucky about anything. To go and try to have a nice conversation, to try and be his friend, _to prove him wrong_. Jeez, he'd been wanting to prove the dude wrong since he stood a foot in the house.

Now Barnes wasn't just getting on his nerves, he was fucking getting under his skin and Rhodey knew that once he got deep enough, there was no shaking him —same thing happened with Tony. Hell, now he regretted ever asking Sam about anything.

Rhodey washed his head over three times —and he didn't have that much hair— to try to take away the burning headache, but it didn't work all that much. When he was done bathing, he wrapped a towel around his waist and walked to his bedroom.

"Shit!" He shouted, tightly pressing his towel to his waist, nearly jumping. Bucky shifted from where he was creepily standing, a grin on his face. "What the hell, Barnes?"

"It's almost ten am," oh, so that explained the annoyingly bright sun light. Rhodey closed his eyes, and, sighing, he rubbed the side of his forehead.

"Aw, fuck, I'm sorry. I just feel—"

"Hungover? Hammered? Like your head's going to explode any second now?" He asked, sarcastically. Rhodey thought it was best to just ignore him.

"Something like that," he muttered, his hand still rubbing. "Just give me a second and I'll dress up and be right down stairs,"

"Yeah, about that…we're off work today," he cut him, walking inside the bedroom and sitting on the bed, "but yes, do dress up," Bucky said, opening his eyes as he looked at Rhodey's towel quickly "just not for working. You got a bathing suit?"

"Why? Where' we going?" Rhodey frowned, despite the pain that caused him.

"Steve decided to throw this picnic," Bucky said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, it's by the lake. If you don't have a swimming suit, Sam said he could borrow you one, let's go," he repeated.

"I— you're inviting me?" asked Rhodey, confused but his mouth was curving into a grin.

" _Because Steve asked me to,_ " he quickly replied back, raising his eyebrows, wearing his default grin, too. Rhodey noticed that suddenly, Bucky always had that devil-may-care attitude when he was being nice, and it suited him darn fine.

"Sure, sure," he said, walking to drawer where he kept the spare of clothes Steve had borrowed him and what had been rescued from his bag that didin't got ruined from the car crash. "Don't think I forgot what happened last night," he said as he picked a pair of jeans and

"Oh, yeah, you drooled all over my leather jacket," Bucky threw himself on the bed, putting his right arm under his head. Rhodey turned and saw him.

"Ok, can you leave?" He asked, pointing to the door.

"You're throwing me out of my own house?" Bucky frowned at him, smiling.

"I'm asking you to leave _this_ room for a second because I don't want you to see me naked," Rhodey said, eyebrows straight, but he was joking too —except the naked part, that he meant.

"What if I paid you?" He laughed while Rhodey shook his head. "How much do you remember, though?" He wondered, a bit serious now. Rhodey almost immediately understood why was Barnes asking him serious.

"I won't mention anything you don't want me to," he said, looking into his eyes.

"Doesn't stop you from knowing," he muttered looking at the way of the door. There was an awkward silence after, and Rhodey wore every ounce of his not-minimal cleverness to try to come up with something to say. "Look, I just want you to know that anything you're thinking of me, you're wrong, and even if you're not, I'm still going to change it until you're wrong. You don't want to be my friend, and I still want you gone," he told Rhodey. Rhodey bore into his eyes and then started loudly and widely laughing. "I'm serious,"

"Oh, I know you are, that's what makes it even funnier," he said, catching his breath again. "Look, _Bucky_ , that card might work on the rest of the world, but I'm gonna give you the firs tip of the James Rhodes Handbook: don't ever tell me what I can or cannot do, because that usually makes me want to show you how wrong you are about me _more_ ," he settled on those deep blue eyes. "Now, I'm naked under here, so can you please go so I can get dressed?"

Bucky remained there expressionless for a long moment. Then he stood up and walked to the door. Rhodey actually thought he had nothing to say and felt weird, like stopping him, and telling him he was kidding. But before Rhodey said anything, Bucky turned again, the devilish grin on his face back again. "Rhodes, just FYI, much more fun is waiting for you here, _outside_ , and I'm not just talking about this house," and Rhodey had to probably slap himself because he thought he just saw Barnes winked at him.

 

* * *

When did exactly 'Picnic' meant beers, music, beach —actually _lake_ would be a better term— ping-pong, and a freaking barbecue? Tony was never going to know. Anyhow, he made up his mind this morning: he was going to ask Steve out. He was tired of sudden 'Peggys' and cockblocking Rhodeys. It was about time he had a nice, romantic moment with Steve that didn't involve a cow or a horse or any of the sort.

It was about time Steve knew charming Tony Stark. But he had yet to figure out just how to do it.

 

 °

 

"Well, look at that," Sam muttered to Steve as he watched Bucky arrive with Rhodey. Steve smiled and then flipped over the fillet on the grill. 

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened last night at the bar?" Steve asked, still grinning.

"I wish I knew. I asked Bucky to drive Rhodey home with him and he didn't even put up a fight," Steve widened his eyes.

"So who's winning the bet so far?" He asked later on. Sam chuckled.

"I'll give them a week, and I can finally say I beat Natasha at something," he finished with a shrug.

“Now, I don’t mean to sound like a bitch but,” that was the perfect form of Sharon Carter, walking closer to them, a beer on her hand, “Why exactly did you bring richy rich here?” she asked Steve, frowning with a kind of pained look. Steve frowned back at her. Back at Luke’s party Sharon hadn’t even seen Tony. “Peggy told me about him, in fact, he and his friend it’s everything people’ve been talking about for the whole week,”

“So you don’t like him because people have said shit about him?” Sam asked, behind Steve.

“Sue said he went by the restaurant on Tuesday and looked weird at people, like he was disgusted,” she replied to Sam. Then she looked at Steve again, taking a sip from her beer, “Bucky also said something about him not liking being handed things? What the hell is that about?” she asked, grinning. Steve just ignored her and flipped another burger.

“I wouldn’t listen to Bucky’s comments about people if I were you,” Steve muttered.

“Now, that’s just hurtful,” Bucky said, as he climbed the small mountain they were at. “I imagine this is about your little boyfriend,” he said, grabbing a beer from the thermal freezer bag.

Steve turned from the grill to stare at him. Bucky joined them as Sharon stood open-mouthed. “You’re shitting me,” she said, a small growing on her face.

“I shit you not,” Bucky solemnly said. Steve turned to get a bottle of water.

“He’s not my boyfriend,” he said, opening the bottle, “I just happen to be nice. And you don’t even know him, okay, he’s… _complicated_. Sam likes him, too,” Steve said, pointing to Sam with his bottle. Both Sharon and Bucky turned to look at him.

“I don’t don’t like him,” he simply said. Steve looked at him like he just betrayed him, “Why don’t we better talk about _your_ boyfriend, Bucky?” he turned the topic around, raising his eyebrow.

“Nice try, Wilson,” he simply said, taking another sip.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, buddy,” Sam replied, smiling. Steve walked to the grill again and Sharon walked closer to him.

“So, you really like him?” she whispered at his shoulder.

“Sharon,” Steve closed his eyes, sighing. Sharon had told him about two months ago she was in love with him, and even kissed him. Several awkward minutes after that, Steve confessed her he was into boys more than girls and that he loved her only as a friend.

“I’m asking as your friend, Steve. You said we could be that, remember?” she cut off. Steve looked at her for a split second. Then he shrugged. “Oh, boy,”

“Look, he’s just…something else, okay? He’s flashing lights and intelligence and this whole other world. He talks so fast about so many things at the same time, it’s… _amazing,_ ” Steve muttered, biting his lip, looking down to the roasting meat.

Sharon stood in silence for a bit, biting the inside of her cheek. She watched Sam and Bucky leave, smiling at them. “You do realize he’s not going to stay here, right?” she asked later, slowly. Steve swallowed and stared at the meat instead of looking at Sharon and facing the truth. She wasn’t trying to be mean, she was just being Sharon. Straight-forward Sharon.

Steve turned to stand in front of her and breathed heavily, unsure of what to say. He hadn’t even had one decent date with Tony and everything and everyone was already telling him how doomed a possible relationship was. And Steve knew it, too.

A cheer of the crowd interrupted Steve’s thoughts. They both turned to look at Johnny jumping into the water from one of the hills surrounding the lake. A lot of people followed after him.

“I just got this really great idea, why don’t you go enjoy this silly little picnic you planned and I’ll take care of the burgers?” she offered with a smile. Steve shook his head almost instantly. “Go, Steve,” she took the spatula from his hand. “Don’t make me repeat myself,” she pointed at him with it, faking seriousness. But then she smiled fondly. “Do introduce me, once, though,” she said, turning to the grill, giving Steve her back.

 

* * *

 

“Come on, New York!” Clint shouted at Tony, who was standing by the edge of the hill. Everyone waiting for him to jump.  Tony’s hands were shaking and he wasn’t even sure why he thought this was a good idea to impress Steve. He’d jumped from one the highest peaks and looked like a fucking Olympic diver while doing so. Why did Tony thought he could do the same? He had no fucking clue.

Truth is, he was shit scared to jump into the lake.

“Tony, just don’t jump if you don’t want to,” Steve simply said from below, waiting for him in the lake. Tony shook his head.

“I want to do this,” he heard himself say. But his feet didn’t move.

“This is bullshit,” Bucky walked from the tree he’d been supporting to where Tony was standing. And before Tony could even say so much of a word, Bucky pushed him, making Tony fall into the lake, screaming his lungs out. “Oops,” he muttered when Tony hit the water, Steve quickly swimming to where he landed.

“I got you,” Steve said, pulling Tony into the surface.

“Agh, fuck!” Tony shouted. Steve was grabbing him tightly, his body weighing nothing thanks to the water. “That’s fucking cold,” he spat, shaking.

Steve smiled fondly, inches away from Tony’s face. “You alright?” he asked. Tony finally opened his eyes, and realized how close they were.

“Would you go out with me?” he asked suddenly. Because his brain might’ve been frozen and Steve’s eyes were matching the blue of the fucking lake. Like, seriously, how did he not ask that?

Steve chuckled, eyes blinking fast. “What?”

“Would you? You know, go on a date with me?” Tony asked, and his lips were trembling. Maybe because he was freezing cold, or maybe because his heart was about to jump out of his chest. No one knows.

Steve could barely nod lightly, a private little thing between them —even if people were staring at them from yards away—, before they heard Bucky’s loud scream. And then the splash of the water announcing his crash. Steve and Tony looked up from where Bucky fell and saw a grinning Rhodey.

“Oops,” he said in the same way Bucky had. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> QUESTION TIME: Where do you think Tony should take Steve on their first date? Will Sam win the bet to Natasha? What's the square root of the sun?
> 
> I hope you guys have an awesome christmas day and Santa gets you something nice ;) 
> 
> Feedback is free C:


	9. I Like The Way You're Everything I Ever Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve and his gang sing a catchy country song, and Tony changes the plan all around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this makes up for the shitty last one, I think. I hope you had an awesome Christmas day, and I wish you an awesome New Year! 
> 
> We're almost getting there ;) 
> 
> PS. If you listen to the song Backwards by Rascal Flatts (The acustic version) and picture Bucky, Sam and Steve singing it while you read this chapter, then I bet you'll enjoy it even more.

 

 

_I had time to think it all over_  
 _And all I can say is come closer_  
 _Take a deep breath then jump then fall into me_  
 _Cause Every time you smile, I smile_  
 _And every time you shine, I'll shine for you_

* * *

Bucky opened his mouth and swallowed the sweet wet cream in a whole, he then poured some more on his cup of milkshake.

"One of these days you're gonna get diagnosed with diabetes," Steve mentioned, while he cut the banana bread he made.

"Thenh you may suhr I dieh in ah nutellah poohl," Bucky said, with his mouth full of wet cream. He drank his glass and took a bite of his bacon. "Are we ever going to talk about yesterday?" Bucky asked his plate, but then he rose his head to look at Steve.

He was wearing his regular ' _I-don't-understand-what-you're-saying-and-that-upsets-me_ ' look. Bucky tried not to laugh. "You mean how you threw Tony off the cliff?" Steve deflected a moment later. Oh, yeah, that.

"Ah, deflection," he said, sipping his glass of water. "It's sweet you think that'll work on me, Steve. _I_ , who invented that," he shot back with a grin, raising his eyebrows. "You asked the brat out?"

Steve pressed his lips together and turned to the stove. Ah, fuck. "What happened between you and Rhodey?" He asked, with a fake-ish curious tone.

" _Wow_ ," Bucky shouted, "that's a low blow,"

Steve shrugged, still giving him his back, "I don't know what you're talking about, I'm simply asking," Bucky turned on his chair, and pressed his fork deep into his bacon.

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, as he cursed acknowledging the event as something _relevant_.

"Ah, funny how things work," Steve replied back, walking to the fridge and sticking a jar of orange juice out of it. He put it on the table and gave Bucky a funny look.

"It's not even remotely the same thing. At all," Bucky told him, closing his eyes as he made a faked sort-of pained expression. "I'm just asking,"

"So am I,"

"Rhodey and I aren't even _near_ to be a _thing_ ,"

"Neither are me and Tony,"

"That's just _bullshit_ , Steve," Bucky cut him, settling his eyebrows in one straight line. Steve closed his lips.

"I would've told you, Bucky, but you were going to be a jerk about it," he said, face changing now to a bit sad. "I don't want this to go bad. I didn't ask him out, _he_ did," Steve finished, a tiny smile curving to the corner of his mouth. Bucky sighed heavily.

"I'm not sure if that's all better," then it was Steve sighing, he turned to the stove again and Bucky stood up. "Ah, you think I'm just trying to be a dick? You can't even see the best intention here?" He asked at Steve's back.

"I know, I get it. You're trying to protect me," Steve said, with a tired tone.

"Heck yes, I am, Steve. He's not goin—,"

"Can you please not say that?" Steve asked flatly, turning to face Bucky, hand open pointing his way. "Sharon already covered enough of that for you yesterday," he muttered, looking down at the wooden floor, sad.

"And you just plainly decide to turn deaf?" Bucky asked, searching for Steve's eyes.

But before Steve could even reply anything, the tiny, teenage form of Tony Stark showed up at the threshold. Bucky sighed inside his head and moved to Steve's side to stare at him. Bucky had seen men after men when they liked another one. How their eyes shone with lust, with a burning desire to have them be theirs, like every men was a challenge. Most of the times he flirted that's how it was. Women were easier to play with, to fool, at least for him. But men were something else entirely, they were straight forward and not so full of layers as women were, and believe it or not that made it harder sometimes. However, what he saw on the kid's eyes was not even near lust, or desire, or any of those sort ' _one-night-lasting_ ' feelings Bucky had come to be acquaintances with. The way Tony was looking at Steve was full of admiration, of tender care and utter  _marvel_. Like Steve was an angel fallen from skies. Bucky wanted to laugh, then to barf, and then to maybe feel jealous because no one had ever looked at him that way, ever.

"I'm going to puke," he muttered, walking to the table to grab what was left of his milkshake so he could get lost. Then, like no surprise at all, Rhodey walked behind Tony once he sat. More awake than his friend was —maybe that's why Stark'd looked at Steve that way, he was sleepy, not in love. "Let's go, Rhodes," Bucky said, grabbing his hat from the counter.

"I haven't even had breakfast yet," Rhodey replied.

"Here," Bucky gave him his plate, still full of food he didn't eat because he'd been talking to Steve about his doomed-to-fail future relationship. "Have mine, eat it in the barn, _let's go_ "

Rhodey looked at the plate on his hands for a second and then at Barnes, who gave him a pressed-up smile before leaving the room. He looked at Tony and Steve who were amusingly matching a ' _did-that-really-just-happened?_ ' look. Rhodey rose his lips, and sighed. "I guess, I'm gonna go then," he finished, walking to the barn with Bucky's plate on his hand.

* * *

 

"So, did you sleep well?" Steve asked, his smile so bright that it made Tony hallucinate twenty years of marriage with him, and his heart closed tightly. That's when he knew he'd lost his head. Because he counted and just sixteen days had passed. That was a total of three hundred and eighty four hours since he met Steve, and he knew it took _much_ longer than that to fall in love with someone. The math wasn't right, all variables were altered and the result was confusing. The smart part of his brain was telling him something logical, all the while his stomach was trying to eat him from the inside out.

He knew it was all a metaphor, the heart, love, stomach's butterflies and all that. It was all on his head. It was funny because his head was also telling him all kinds of different things: ' _You're not in love_ ' ' _You have no idea what that even feels like_ ' ' _You're from different worlds_ ' ' _It's just a crush_ ' _'You're screwed_ ' —and the most beautiful one, fuck you, brain— ' _You're not good enough for him_.' "Tony," Steve called, his hand brushing lightly on his. "I'm really excited about our date," he confessed, his pink lips curving. Tony looked at him and smiled weakly. He'd forgotten how it was to feel sixteen —because his head was always up to something, always in the future—, to feel like you weren't awesome nor cool enough. And this, right here, screamed teenager all over him. Steve was nineteen, and far more mature than that, but he was so easy to impress, so easy to be around and feel like you were good enough. He bit his bottom lip and nodded.

He was Tony Stark not some teenage virgin girl hitting on the quarterback. This was not his first rodeo and it was certainly not going to be the last. "Where do you think I should take you?" He asked, biting his banana bread. Steve chuckled and turned back on his seat.

"We have a charity today, in the backyard of the Parker's," Steve explained. Tony wrinkled his factions, about to start complaining. "I know that's not a date, but it's a compromise of mine," he added as Tony rose his eyebrows, nodding. "On friday, we can totally go anywhere. Maybe this new Italian restaurant they opened. I like pasta," he offered, and Tony thought 'I know'. And maybe that was it, because all those sixteen days he'd spent with Steve got him all kinds of random stories that gave away Steve Rogers as a man. That was the thing about Steve, he let you see who he was from day one. Maybe it wasn't so crazy if he was in love with Steve after all.

Not that he thought he was, anyway.

* * *

 

"Look, I think we should talk about the elephant in the room here," Bucky said suddenly. Rhodey dropped the rope he had in his hands and turned to look at him.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm talking about your friend and Steve," Bucky said, hopping up his horse. "Follow me," he muttered before shaking the ropes of his horse, making him jump out of the barn. Rhodey hopped up his borrowed one and followed Bucky just as fast. "Come on, if that's all the risk you can take, then the United States Air Forces are in big trouble," Bucky shouted yards away. Rhodey shook the ropes harder, making his horse go faster.

Bucky's long hair was moving along with the wind, and he was smiling widely. As he turned his face over to look back at Rhodey the sun light made him look too bright, and his eyes bluer than the sky above them and it caught Rhodey by surprise. How unbelievable gorgeous Bucky was. He stopped abruptly and felt sick on his stomach.

Then Bucky was shouting and laughing out loud, and yes, it still was the best sound Rhodey had ever heard. "Coming or what, Rhodes?" He yelled. Rhodey shot him a glance, and lightly shook his ropes, as he shook his head, too. "So what do you think?"

Rhodey raised his head and frowned. "About what?"

"About Steve and your little brat," they were just walking through the meadow now.

Rhodey shrugged. "I think it's none of my business.. _.or yours_." He said, raising one judgy eyebrow as he turned his head to Bucky.

"I'm the one who's going to be picking up the pieces of Steve's broken heart, so yeah, it is my business," Bucky replied, almost bitterly. Rhodey stared at him for a second, trying to stay focused on the topic and not how he seemed to _really like_ the way Bucky's hair fell on his face, so much he even fought the urge to lean in a brush it back behind his ear.

"You want the truth?" Rhodey asked, pressing his lips together to one side, making a face.

"No, _Rhodey_ , I want you to lie to me," and if it was the first time Bucky called him by his petname without any charge of cynicism, then maybe he was really happy.

"I've never seen Tony look at anyone the way he looks at Steve," he simply said. "I don't know what you think of him but I do know that. And 'sides, it really is not up to us,"

"Yeah, if Stark's in love with Steve then so what? You're still leaving," Bucky was the one stopping now. Rhodey turned his horse to face him. Arms open wide and worried expression. "Stark has a life to get to and Steve's not going anywhere. Tell me how any of that is going to work?"

Rhodey stood still for far too long, so much the afternoon sky was starting to turn pinkish and Rhodey bit his lower lip. "I really don't know, Bucky. Sorry," he muttered.

"You think Stark will stay here? Would _you_?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I have my commitment to the military,"

"That's what I thought," Bucky cut him, walking past him on his horse.

"Is this about me or Tony?" Rhodey heard himself ask. Bucky frowned at him for a brief second.

"It's not important who is this about," he said, in a sigh. "The matter is that you're leaving anyway and it's about time people around here start to realize that," he finished harshly.

* * *

 

This town only looked for excuses to throw parties. That's all the information Tony gathered during his time here. Any reason that could put them setting a couple of chairs and turning country music a bit louder and they'll be all happy.

Right now they were at Benjamin Parker's property. An old barn turned into a kind-of ball room. It had a little stage with an old piano and some tables in front of it. Then a wooden dance floor and a huge lamp hanging above it. And it was just as full as that party at Luke's house. Or Steve's picnic.

Tony figured since they were all close here, then that meant _all_ the townspeople came to every party. No one left uninvited.

There was food and live music and all people were laughing. When they arrived Steve had lightly pulled him in by his hand, and then held it for a tiny bit longer. Tony's heart did that funny thingy were he almost thought he was going to get a freaking heart attack. They talked in the group, and Tony felt for a moment like he belonged. But it was just an illusion really. These people weren't his friends, they were Steve's.

"Guys," Sam said to Steve and Bucky as he walked to a room in the back. Bucky followed Sam first and then Steve walked to him. They'd been sitting on a large table where the whole group of friends were.

"Come. I want you to see me," Steve said at Tony's ear, trying to make himself be heard. Then he ran to the same room. Tony looked at Rhodey for a split second, his friend just smiled as he shrugged and sipped his beer. Rhodey stood up and palmed his shoulder.

"Let's go," he said, as all people gathered in front of the stage. They made their way to the front and lights went off.

Then there was a perfectly clean sound of piano keys and a reflector shone to show Bucky pressing his fingers on it. "I was sitting on a wooden stool, in a barbecue joint in Tennessee," he sang, fingertips moving slowly over the piano "when this old boy walked in and he sat right down next to me," and more people stood up and walked closer to the stage. Sam was blowing the harmonic and Steve grabbed his banjo tightly. Tony was about to laugh. "I could tell he'd been through some hard times, there were tearstains on his old shirt," and Sam moved his fingers over his instrument as he blew. "And he said you wanna know what you get...when you play a country song backwards," then there was a long silence and they all started singing the chorus. Everyone in the room started clapping their hands and singing along and Tony just stared at Rhodey, with a confused smile. They both slowly started clapping together through the second half of the song. He'd never say it aloud but Barnes had hell of a voice, and he played the piano really well —nothing like he played it, but it was good.

Then Steve looked at his eyes as the chorus went "You get your mind back and your nerves back. Your achy breaky heart back. You get your pride back. You get your life back. _You get your first real love back_." and Tony's heart jumped as he smiled widely. The kept the moving, happy chorus along and Tony stopped clapping as he looked at Steve moving his fingers over the banjo, amazed.

"But that's what you get when you play a country song backwaaaards," they all finished with a loud cheer from the audience. The rest of the public applauded until they left the stage and then Tony and Rhodey met them right after, from the back of it. Some redhead called Wanda stepped up and started singing a slow song and the people left the room quickly, only a three or four couples left to dance to the slow rhythm.

"That was so cool," he heard Rhodey tell them. Sam hit Steve's rib with his elbow and Steve rubbed the back of his neck.

"Agh, dear lord," Bucky muttered, as he rolled his eyes.

"Would you dance with me?" Steve asked him, looking straight into his eyes and Tony felt like he lost his ground. When he didn't say anything Steve's smile flew away from his lips.

But then Rhodey to the rescue pushed him with his shoulder to step closer to Steve. "He'd love to," Rhodey said, because Tony had lost his words and he vaguely remembered when it was the other way around.

Tony grabbed Steve's hand tightly as they walked together. He closed his eyes and pictured it was just the two of them and then Steve leaned closer "Tony, I don't know how to do this," he whispered. He gave Tony one of those shy smiles of his. And with that Tony lost all his nervousness.

"It's okay, just, here," he grabbed Steve's left hand and placed it on the back of his waist. "I'd lead but, you're too freaking tall," he joked and Steve chuckled. "Grab my hand, and keep your eyes on mine. And trust me," and he moved his feet like Pepper had taught him to, Mr. McGregor's voice echoing in the back of his mind about how he 'moved like a gazelle'. They moved slowly, and honestly, they barely moved. All with that of Steve leading. Gosh, he couldn't wait for that puberty spur to kick in, although he didn't think he'd be taller than Steve, the guy was _huge_. Maybe even huger than the knot Tony had in his throat, and that was to say a lot. By what felt like the end of the song Steve tugged him closer. "I'm really glad I met you, Tony," he said, in his sweet, little simple accent. And Tony figured this was a good moment as any. He stretched his feet, standing on his tip-toes and Steve parted his lips as if waiting. Before his lips could even brush pink ones he felt someone pulling his pants.

_Oh for the love of God._

They both looked down to see a tiny, little boy. Probably eight, maybe nine, years old. He had big brown eyes and way too much hair for such tiny head. "Oh, hey, Pete, what's up?" Steve said, kneeling to the level of the kid.

"Someone's calling him," the kid replied, looking shyly at Tony's way. Tony frowned in reply and took the phone the kid handed Steve.

"What?" Tony wasn't in the mood of politeness.

"How sweet is to hear your voice, son," that was the cynical voice of his progenitor "I'm glad I didn't let your mother talk to you first," he added. Tony rolled his eyes and excused himself, he left the barn with the phone on his hand. "— so, are you?"

"I'm what?" Tony asked, frowning. Howard sighed deeply.

"Ready to come back, Tony," he could just imagine the look his father had right now. And it made him sick.

He went back to the question. Hell, _no_. He didn't want to come back, that was the truth. He didn't want to go back doing nothing, being nothing more than a legacy. In this place he had the chance of being an actual person, of having people caring for you and loving you. So no, fuck you, he wasn't ready to go back to that.

He laughed loudly, fake-ly. "You honestly think I'd get my hands dirty with cow scum? _Please_. Rhodey and I have been hanging by the lake, you're welcome to come to your senses now and pick us up anytime you want," he told his father.

"Is that so?" Tony heard a pencil rolling down a piece of paper. "You think you can win this war, Tony?"

"I'm sure I am winning it, _Howie,_ " he replied, sarcastic grin on his face even though he couldn't have his father seeing it.

"Tell Rhodey I'm going to talk to his superior officer, he'll still keep you company — I have strong hopes that he's the one keeping you sane. You're staying on that town until your learn how to treat me and everyone else. Merry Christmas, _son_." Howard said cold, before hanging up. Well, fuck. He'd dragged Rhodey with him. Shit shit. Well, the military is always kissing Howard's ass, if he thinks Rhodey is on his team, then he'll make sure Rhodey's career doesn't go to hell.

"Tones?" Rhodey called him from the door.

"I did something. You're going to hate me," Tony murmured, biting his lower lip. "It was Howard. We're not leaving until half of the semester—"

"What?" Rhodey cut. Walking closer to him.

"I don't want to leave, Rhodey—"

"You're joking. Please tell me you're joking—" Rhodey pleaded, eyes closed.

"Rhodey, it's not that much time—"

"Tony, I have to show up right about next week for my PT's!—"

"Howard said he could talk to your superior officer—"

"What?!"

"Tell him you're up to something, I don't know, an extracurricular thing. C'mon, Rhodey, it's Howard Stark, if all that even helps you _more_ —"

"But it's a fucking lie, Tony!" He shouted and Tony looked around, helpless and not knowing what to say. He didn't think how it'll affect Rhodey and now there was no taking it back.

"I'm sorry," Rhodey sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"There's no way I'm going back there anytime soon, is there?" Tony shook his head slowly, looking at the grass beneath them. "Tony, _hell,_ " he sighed frustrated, and Tony never felt so guilty about something he so badly wanted. "Look you don't wanna leave. I get that, but _I_ don't have a pretty cowboy who makes me want to stay here, get it?" Rhodey asked him, trying to look for Tony's eyes. Before he could reply a sorry again someone whistled.

They turned to the door and found Barnes, with his arms open. "We're going to start without you, Air Force," he shouted. Rhodey looked at Tony, who was frowning with a tiny grin.

"I'm still mad at you," Rhodey muttered before following Bucky back inside, leaving Tony to laugh into the moonlight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So they get five-or-so more months now, what should we do? 
> 
> Feedback is for free!


	10. A Million Little Stars Spelling Out Your Name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First date. (Finally)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yay, it has to be good luck that this chapter is the first chapter of the year! Anyway, I hope you guys had an awesome New Year's eve and I hope 2014 is an even better year for you!
> 
> This is so far my favorite chapter, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
> 
> WARNING for being in the closet topics.

 

_You gotta come on, come on_   
_Say that we'll be together_   
_Come on, come on_   
_Little taste of Heaven_

* * *

If Pepper could see him right now... Well, she'd be fucking helping because Rhodey was being an asshole. 

  
"Oh my god," Rhodey pressed his hands tightly to his stomach as he fell backwards on Tony's mattress, laughing.   
  
"You're a dick, you know that?" Tony shot, annoyed.   
  
"I didn't think I'd live to see this day," Rhodey said, catching his breath again, rubbing his eyes when his laughter even made him cry.   
  
"Get the fuck out," Tony demanded, pointing to the door. "I didn't bring you here so you could make fun of me," he crossed his arms.   
  
"I'm not making fun of you," Rhodey shrugged, then he sat on the bed. "I'm just enjoying finally seeing you nervous about a date, Mr. Casanova prodigy."   
  
"I just don't wanna fuck up this one," Tony confessed, throwing himself by Rhodey's side.   
  
"What are you so worried about? We still have four more fucking months for you to make up for anything you screw up," Rhodey muttered, looking at his fingers.   
  
"You're still mad at me about that?" Tony asked, raising his head to look at Rhodey.   
  
"Yes, Tony. I had things I wanted to get back to," Rhodey answered, not looking at Tony.   
  
"Oh, really? You think I haven't seen Barnes bating his eyelashes at you? You wanna stay here," Tony tried to tease, but Rhodey moved his head and gave him a look. "What?"   
  
"Don't go down that road," he told Tony in a serious tone.   
  
Tony laughed loud this time, but then when he turned to look at Rhodey again he realized Rhodey wasn't even smiling. "Oh, please, Rhodey," Tony whined as Rhodey stood up. "Where' you going? What did I say?"   
  
"Nothing, it's not you," he said, turning when he got to the door frame "I think anything you put on will work, Steve doesn't really care about the outside." He advised with a forced smile.   
  
"No, no, wait," Tony ran and placed himself between Rhodey and the door. "What's going on, Rhodey?" Rhodey'd never seen Tony worried before.   
  
"What are you talking about?" He frowned.   
  
"Don't fuck with me," Tony warned, pointing Rhodey with his finger. "Is this about what I think it is?"   
  
"Probably not," Rhodey tried to joke, but his smile came more like nervous. Tony let his hand fall and Rhodey settled his eyes on the floor.   
"Rhodey,"   
  
"I know what you're thinking. I'm not—"  
  
"I don't get why that seems so awful for you—"  
  
"It's not, Tony. For christ's sake—"  
  
"Then what is it?" Tony ventured. Rhodey closed his lips and looked helpless.   
  
"That is the question, isn't it?" This time his smile was bittersweet. Rhodey held Tony's gaze for a second and then shook it off by rubbing his forehead. He shrugged when he looked at Tony again.   
  
"It's not going to do you any good if you keep acting _'indifferent'_ about it," Tony said, curving his lips to one corner of his mouth.   
  
"I thought you didn't even like Bucky,"   
  
"Oh, so this _is_ about Barnes. Here I thought we were talking about Sam," Rhodey frowned at him. "Well, in that case, yes, do ignore whatever you're feeling." Tony walked to his bed again. Leaving Rhodey to chuckle at the door. "Rhodey?" Tony called, watching his friend turn back to him. "It's unlike you to lie to yourself like that, and you know it," he rose his eyebrows. "I don't like Barnes, but I don't want you in that ugly closet, all by yourself, either," he commented, making a face. Rhodey shook his head as he bit his lower lip.   
  
"I'm not—"  
  
"In the closet, no, you're even worse. You force yourself to ignore your life for the sake of you career," that's when Rhodey understood why they called Tony a genius.   
  
"Why are we even having this conversation? I don't like Bucky," Rhodey wondered, half-annoyed and half wanting to run away and hide.   
  
"Well, thank heavens, then, you have nothing to worry about," Tony rose his eyebrows but Rhodey knew he hadn't bought that. Hell, not even he himself bought that anymore. Well, he was fucked. "Now, get out, I have a date with a hot cowboy." 

* * *

  
  
"This is so gonna end badly," Bucky muttered, looking at himself in the mirror.   
  
"Bucky, please," Steve sighed.   
  
"Don't listen to him," Sam said, shaking dust from Steve's shoulders. "Yo', grumpy face, look at him," he called Bucky.   
  
Bucky turned on his chair and looked at his friend. Steve was wearing a red button-down shirt and black pants. His hair was fixed neatly in all his Abercombie model glory. "What do you think?" Steve asked, that goofy smile made his outfit look even better.   
  
"Let's see, if I was a pretentious douchebag," Bucky put his finger on his chin and rolled his eyes up and down Steve, as he looked back at him with straight eyebrows. Bucky chuckled, "yeah, I'd want to be with you," he finished, with an easy smile.   
  
"I'm gonna cry," Sam joked, across the room, putting the tip of his fingers on his lips. "My baby grew up so fast," Steve chuckled and then breathed heavily, giving himself a look on the mirror. He could do this.   
  
He could show Tony how good he could be for him. How good they could be together. He wanted to show him how life could be something _amazing and worth the while._  
  
"Oh, Sam," Steve called, turning to his friends. "I wanted to ask if I could borrow the Jeep?" Sam frowned.   
  
"Sure, why?" He asked.   
  
"Why do you think?—"   
  
"I just figured a car with an AC would be better," Steve answered, nonchalantly as Bucky rolled his eyes.  
  
"He's all in for the d, Steve. You don't need to impress him," Bucky sighed, Sam nodding along with him.   
  
"You guys are the worst," Steve shook his head.   
  
"Oh, but we try, honey, we try," Sam replied, solemnly.  
  
"Besides, the truck is making a weird sound. You guys should take it to the mechanic," Steve said later. 

"No can do," Sam replied, clapping his hands. "It's Fifa night with the girls. I _have_ to beat Sharon, the last time she kicked my ass," he shook his head, chuckling. "Maybe take Rhodey," he muttered to Bucky, looking at Steve. They both started laughing. 

  
"Very funny, you two," Bucky rolled his eyes.   
  
"Well, you can't leave him alone, anyway," Steve told him, moving his shoulder. He looked at his watch and took a deep breath. Giving himself a look once more. "It's time."   
  
"Don't be so nervous, Steve. You've spent this whole time with the guy," Sam said, narrowing his eyebrows. "It's like you're starting on the fifth date," he reassured, with a smile.   
  
Bucky stood up from the bed and settled at Steve's side "Yeah, but, _it's like you're starting on the fifth date_ ," he repeated, wide-eyed.   
  
"Ah, yeah, that too," Sam agreed.   
  
Steve looked at them for a second but ultimately decided to have a little more faith and hope that everything'll be alright. Steve opened his hand at Sam and he threw the keys at it. "Thanks, guys. I'll see you later," Steve said, as he headed to the door.   
  
"I'll go with you. The sooner I'm done with truck, the more I can rest later," Bucky said, following Steve out.

 

* * *

 

When he watched Steve walking downstairs he felt like the last sixteen years of his life finally made sense. Tony bit his lower lip, anxious, as he tried to gain confidence by reminding himself that he'd been the one taking the first step, that he was the one who asked Steve out.

But none of it made him feel any less like this was his first date and his palms sweat. Steve looked like well-wishes, purity and a bunch of stuff Tony knew he wasn't worthy of. And his smile made Tony believe that there could actually be a God above him.

"Are you ready to go?" Steve asked, lightly, embracing the beginning of a lovely evening. Tony only nodded, probably smiling like an idiot. 

When they got to the italian restaurant Steve'd been talking about for the past few days Tony was already used to the way his gut clenched when Steve gave him a short glance. 

And when Steve wrapped his hand around his as they walked inside the place Tony felt utterly happy for the first time in his entire life. 

* * *

"Where we going, again?" Rhodey frowned, as he jumped inside the truck.

"Mechanic," Bucky answered, starting the engine. "Stop wondering. It's not like you have much to do anyway," Rhodey rolled his eyes and turned to look through the open window. "I'm worried, Rhodes," 

"Are you now," Rhodey barely muttered, watching the grasslands and the movie-like trail of trees surrounding them. 

"I didn't want to point it out to Steve, but you two are leaving in what? Two days?" Bucky asked, turning the wheel to another path of trees. Rhodey turned his head and then lowered it. 

"We're not leaving," he said, biting his lip at the end. Bucky turned his eyes from the road to look at Rhodey for a split second. "Tony talked to his father, pulled up some lie, I don't know. We're staying for half of the semester, or until Tony kisses his father's ass, and trust me, that ain't happening in this lifetime," Rhodey chuckled, but he wasn't all that amused. "So, sorry, but you're not getting rid of me anytime soon," he joked. Bucky turned to the road again, a small grin on his face. 

"Well, fuck," he said, not angry at all. Rhodey cracked a laugh trying not to give importance about why he thought it was funny. When Bucky smiled along with him, they couldn't move anymore, suddenly. 

They got out of the truck at the same time to find the back-tires of the truck stuck in a mud pool. All the while, above them the sky was turning dark. 

* * *

“You’re kidding,” Steve said, between laughs. Tony shrugged and sipped his glass. 

“I’m not,” he raised his long eyebrows. “After that it kinda became ‘Explosion Wednesdays’." 

“I have to meet this Bruce guy,” Steve muttered as he shook his head. He enrolled the pasta around his fork and bit it. 

“He’s cool to be around, but you don’t wanna see him angry, though,” Tony commented, widening his eyes. “You definitely have to meet him.” Steve rose his head and his eyes settled on Tony’s. 

“Maybe someday I can pay you a visit,” he said, low. 

“Yeah,” Tony replied, softly. “Maybe you can pay me lots of visits,” he added, smiling. Steve mimicked Tony’s gesture but as he turned back to his plate Tony could see concern in Steve’s blue eyes. “Is something wrong, Steve?"

“I was just thinking, that, uhm, well,” he stuttered “I’m not sure how we’re going to work this out. But I know, I’m going to miss you, Tony.” And that half-pained, half-sorry look on Steve’s face almost made Tony want to cry. 

“I’m not going anywhere, Steve,” he said, quick. Steve frowned and Tony chuckled. “Not yet, anyway,” he cleared. 

“Why?” Steve asked, smile making its way back to his lips.

“Talked to my old man, not important,” Tony waved his hand. “But we have more time to figure things out. Us.” Tony explained, grabbing Steve’s hand from up the table. Steve looked at their hands and smiled faintly. Then he bit his lower lip and looked back at Tony. 

“Let’s finish eating,” he ordered. “I still have another place I wanna take you.”

* * *

 

“Okay, step on it,” Rhodey shouted as he tried to lift the truck from the left corner, and failed. Bucky pressed the accelerator making the tire spin on itself, splattering mud all over Rhodey. “Okay, OK, stop it,” Rhodey yelled, dropping his hold on the truck to cover his face with his arm. 

Bucky’s head popped out of the window of the car and he saw Rhodey trying to shake the mud off his green t-shirt. He laughed softly. 

As he got out of the truck Rhodey tried to stand up and slipped back onto the floor, falling on his butt, finally bathing himself in mud. This time Bucky couldn’t hold it and he laughed loudly. He rested himself against the closed door of the truck as he clenched his hands to his stomach. 

Rhodey glared at him for a second as he shook his hands. But then there it was, Bucky’s laughter, accompanied with that little gap between Bucky’s teeth that Rhodey rarely got to see because he never did laugh much. “Ah, you think this is funny?” Rhodey teased, raising his eyebrows while Bucky was probably even sheering tears of laughter. 

“It’s like you’re naturally magnetized to mud,” Bucky replied, laughing even harder, eyes closed. Rhodey grabbed a handful of sticky, thick mud and threw it at Bucky’s chest. He opened them as soon as the mud hit his cyan-blue tank-top, he opened his mouth as he saw the mud mess. He turned his gaze to Rhodey. “Really?” he asked, raising his eyebrows as Rhodey stood up, challenging. Bucky faked seriousness for a second but Rhodey wasn’t buying it anymore. “We’re not doing this. Get on the back, you dirty boy,” Bucky told him, pointing Rhodey to the back of the truck and when he turned his back on him, Bucky sought his chance.

The ball of mud made a heavy splash sound when it hit the back of Rhodey’s neck. He turned automatically; his mouth was open but his eyebrows showed amusement. Rhodey ran back to the pool beneath the tire and Bucky ran to the other side of the truck, cowering. 

The mud battle began as the sun faintly disappeared of the horizon, leaving space for the moon to shine on.

* * *

 

“Where are we going?” Tony asked, stepping carefully on the grass, hand tightly wrapped around Steve’s.

Steve led Tony until the shore of the lake. He let go of Tony’s hand and sat. Tony only looked at him, smiling widely. “Sit,” he asked.

“Why?” Tony frowned.

“I wanna show you something you can’t have in the city,” he answered, biting his lower lip as he shrugged. When Tony joined him on the ground Steve leaned down, laying on the grass, using his right arm as a pillow. Tony followed. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Steve asked, and then turned to look at the stars shining through Tony’s big brown eyes.

“ _Wow_ ,” Tony had been to many places in his life. Country he couldn’t even pronounce their names. And he’d seen many beautiful things. But the beauty of the starred night only got even more beautiful when a minute later he turned his head to find Steve gazing at him like he was even more stunning than the stars above them. It made his head spin with happiness. He moved his shoulder awkwardly and tried to lean into Steve’s lips. Inches away from his face and Tony couldn’t help it.

He sneezed.

Steve moved his head a little back, surprised by the saliva storm. And Tony sneezed again, and again. He stood up, rubbing his nose as another sneeze shook him. “Tony, are you okay?”

“I don’t kn—,” another sneeze cut him off.

“Maybe it’s the grass,” Steve said, standing up while Tony gave him his back, still sneezing.

“ _Fuck_ ,” he yelled when he was done, rubbing his nose. He turned, frustrated “How many times have I tried to kiss you?! This is ridiculous,” he muttered, shaking his head. Steve was smiling softly. “I’m acting like I’m some teenage girl who’s never kissed a guy in his life,” Tony said, not looking at Steve.

“I’ve never kissed a guy in my life,” Steve cut. Tony closed his mouth, opened it and then closed it again. Steve shrugged, holding back the blush.

Tony sighed, and then he bit his lower lip. “When you said that you didn’t know how to dance, was it the first time you danced?” Tony wondered.

“No,” Steve shook his head. “Bucky’s tried to teach me a couple of times. Peggy, too,” he added. Tony nodded and walked closer to him. “Tony, I really like you,” he said, suddenly. “I don’t care if it’s too early to say that, I’m saying it anyway. And I don’t care if we get to have a movie-like kiss where my feet pop up and it’s breath taking, or if you—sneeze at the tip of my nose,” he added with a small laugh, that Tony replied. “Kiss or no kiss, this’s been the best date of my life,” he finished, with a light shrug and his default tender smile.

Tony took it all in with a heavy breath and walked to stand in front of Steve, “There’s probably a discussion we need to have about what good am I to you,” he muttered, hands rolling over Steve’s chest, caressing.

“Tony,” he whispered, but Tony didn’t know if it was for the light touch or that Steve didn’t want to discuss that. Knowing Steve, it was probably the latter.

“But not right now,” Tony shook his head, and then he rose it to meet Steve’s gaze. “Tonight you’re getting your first kiss with a boy,” and that way it felt natural. Not forced, not nervous. Just right, and someway _perfect_.

Tony barely parted Steve’s lips as they gently crushed together, he didn’t want to deep it. He wanted to take it slow because Steve deserved that much. He tasted, he moved to the side, stepping on his tip-toes but the uncomfortableness was worth it. Because holy hell, he was finally kissing Steve. They split to catch a breath and Tony gently bit Steve’s lip, because he was a tease like that.

Steve stared him down and then took a deep breath, his left hand slipping to Tony’s hip as he pulled him back against his chest. This time Tony took the incentive to go a little harder, a little _better_ and he licked Steve’s upper lip, his tongue making its way into Steve’s mouth, and Tony’s lunges were screaming but he could’ve fainted right there, and he wouldn’t have cared in the slightest.

* * *

 

“OK, OK, you win,” Bucky opened his arms, trying not to laugh so he wouldn’t get mud inside his mouth. Yikes. “Get off me,” he ordered as Rhodey awkwardly shifted to stand up —after he’d tackled Bucky to the ground, ultimately winning their little battle. Bucky sat and when he tried to stand up his feet slipped with the mud, almost making him fall backward. Almost because Rhodey’d caught him mid-air, his left arm catching him softly, hugging him. Bucky could actually feel Rhodey’s breathe brushing his face and he was pretty certain that Rhodey could feel his at his neck. When Bucky tried to move, he slipped again, and this time Rhodey had to get a hold of the edge of the truck so they both wouldn’t fall over. Bucky’s hand clenched at Rhodey’s chest so tightly that he tore his dogtags from his neck. When Rhodey lifted him up like he weighed nothing and settled him on his two feet, the tiny metal plates were still on Bucky’s hands. “Uhm,” he muttered, looking at them. Rhodey turned to him as Bucky handed them. “Sorry,” he said.

“No, it’s—uhm, it’s okay,” he reassured with a smile. And Bucky felt unbelievably uncomfortable of the sudden.  “What are we going to do about this?” Bucky stared wide-eyed at him, even nervous now. “About the truck,” he added, like he’d read Bucky’s mind.

“Lemme,” he said, walking to the front seat. “Call Steve,” he said, grabbing his cellphone and dialing. It beep and beep and beep. “Agh, crap,” Bucky said, looking at the screen of his cellphone, that read _‘Out of signal_ ’.

“What’s wrong?” Rhodey asked, frowning.

“We’re screwed,” Bucky said, frustrated. Because his stomach was acting funny and he wanted to be as far as he could from the guy in front of him, looking at him worried.  “Agh, could this get even worse?” and thunders above them made an awful sign. Rhodey looked at him, grinning.

“Great. Thanks for calling that,” he said, sarcastically. Bucky turned, resting his back against the truck’s door and staring at the road. Suddenly, he noticed.

“Wait, a second…I know where we are,” Bucky said. He grabbed the keys through the window and walked through a small path of sand, with Rhodey at his back.

They walked for a little while until Bucky saw the tiny house. “What’s that?” Rhodey asked, from behind.

“It’s Steve and I’s old club-house,” Bucky said, like it wasn’t ridiculous. “We can stay here until the pool dries off tomorrow,” he said, pushing the tiny door open. It was a small entrance but inside the tiny house was much bigger than it looked. And for a seven and a ten years old couple of kids, it was the most amazing thing in the world. It had a tiny couch and a small mattress on the floor. All kinds of drawing stuck to the walls and even Steve’s old superhero shield and Bucky’s domino mask. Bucky walked to the mini fridge he bought and put there a couple of years ago. “Aww, yes,” he muttered, when he found a six-pack of beers inside it. “You want one?” he asked from the fridge.

“Wait, you still come here?” Rhodey asked, crossing his arms.

“Sometimes. I don’t like taking people to the house,” he said, as he opened his beer. Rhodey stared at him for a split second, but Bucky couldn’t read his face.

“Right,” he said, looking another way. “So, I’ll take the couch and you’ll take the mattress?”

“Seems reasonable,” Bucky took a sip of his beer. “There’s a water tap on the back, you should wash up a little,” he suggested, and Rhodey nodded, walking outside. Bucky took another sip of his beer as he heard Rhodey’s footsteps walking to the back. He moved over to look through the window, peeking Rhodey taking off his shirt and cleaning himself as he could. “Fuck,” he whispered at the back of his hand as he leaned to rest his forehead against the window, careful that Rhodey didn’t notice him _ogling_ him.

He was so deeply screwed. And turned on. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're almost getting to the end #sadface. We just need for two idiots to realize they're totally crazy about each other.


	11. Take Me There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fairs!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is sooooo boring at first, but I promise it gets good if you keep reading on.  
> Also, it's a bit more Bucky/Rhodey because Steve and Tony are already together and everything needs to be alright before it all goes to hell.

  
_There's a place in your heart where nobody's been._   
_Take me there._   


* * *

Tony woke up to the sound of tweeting birds and sunlight over his face. When he accommodated it he realized he'd been sleeping on a peculiar pillow. One with a heartbeat. He smiled fondly as Steve's eye-lashes moved slowly, blinking.

"Good morning," the cowboy muttered, and Tony didn't even mind the morning breath.

"Oh, you have no idea," Tony replied before leaning in and dropping a kiss on Steve's numb lips.

Last night, after they reached the point where too many kisses turned into something more, Steve kindly took Tony's hands off his chest and nervously told him he wasn't ready for that. Tony nodded and didn't push, because no at this moment meant no. He might be an asshole, but he wasn't _that_ kind of asshole. After Tony told his boner to go home, he and Steve talked some more and then Steve turned back to Sam's Jeep and turned on the radio. Some old, slow song played in the dead of the night and they danced once more. And once more and once more.

It had been by far the best night, and date, ever in Tony's entire life. He couldn't even remember any other dates, any other person to compare Steve with. He was flawless. And if Tony loved him he realized he wasn't screwed, he was lucky. He was lucky because even if Steve soon realizes he's too good for Tony at least he got to have this with him once. At least he got to know the walking miracle Steve Rogers is. And when he goes back to his empty life, at least Tony knows he'll have this good memory to accompany him for the rest of his life.

"Oh my god, Tony," Steve shouted, suddenly. "We have to get back," he said, standing to grab the blankets for the improvised picnic Steve brought. All the while Tony started laughing so loud that his chest felt heavy.

* * *

 

"Well, guess who beat the crap outta Sharon playing Mario Kart—," Sam closed his mouth when he entered the kitchen to find one Erskine quietly having coffee while reading the paper.

"Hello, Samuel," he said, with a smile. Sam finished entering, nodding.

"Hello. Where's Steve?" He asked. Erskine raised his eyebrows while he took a sip of his coffee.

"That's what I'd like to know," he replied. "I checked his bedroom when I found this room empty and his bed was done. I, then, went to the barn but no one was there," he talked while he flipped the paper's pages. "Then I tried Anthony's bedroom," Sam chuckled, widening his mouth later. He sat in front of Erskine and took a slice of banana bread. "Yeah, no need to be a genius to know what happened there."

"What did Bucky say?" Sam asked, still grinning.

"Maybe you can ask him when he comes back, too." Sam almost dropped his bread.

"He didn't sleep home either?" It wasn't such a big surprise either but if Erskine said..

"And yes, Rhodes was not in his room either. I woke up to an empty house this day," Erskine said, but he was smiling. Sam let his jaw drop to the floor and then he let a smile make his way, well, apparently it took them longer than he anticipated. Kudos for Darcy.

Sam watched Erskine finish his breakfast in silence. "I'm going to my office now, I need to finish some paper work. You're welcome to serve yourself some food, Sam," he offered, standing.

"No, thanks, Doc. I had enough at home. Do you mind if I stay here to wait for the guys?"

"No, and please do let me know when they come back," he gave Sam a pat on the shoulder before disappearing to his office.

Ten minutes later he heard the engine of his Jeep parking right in front of the house. He took a sip of the juice he just poured and rubbed his hands. When he pulled the door open his mocking grin turned into a wide smile when he saw Steve's spinning eyes, accompanied with his smile and Tony's hand wrapped around his. Maybe he could mock him later. "Give," Sam opened and closed his hand at Steve's way and Steve threw him the car keys.

"Sorry," he simply said "did I worry Erskine too much?" He asked when he got to the front porch, still holding Tony's hand.

Sam pointedly looked at it and smiled at his friend. He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "Nah, luckily for you, he wakes up late, and trusts you as hell. You have to pull at least like thirteen escapades like this one for him to really get worried." Steve nodded.

"What's Bucky saying?" He frowned.

"Well, if he knew he'd probably be freaking the fuck out, but since he doesn't—,"

"What do you mean? He didn't notice that I didn't sleep here?"

"Well, since he _didn't_ either, I'd say it'd be really hard for him to notice," he explained, sarcastically. Steve didn't look surprised at all.

"I didn't know he was seeing someone," Steve pressed his lips together and Sam shrugged.

"You know how he is."

"I'm gonna go find Rhodey," Tony said, after an awkward minute of silence, letting go of Steve's hand for the first time.

"Yeah, I'd wait sitting for that one, too," Sam muttered. Tony turned his back to them, open mouthed.

"You're shitting me," but before Sam had time to reply that he wasn't, Steve's truck made its entrance and parked next to Sam's Jeep, releasing a really filthy Rhodey, and Bucky following after him. Both looking down.

"Well, will you look at that—," Sam barely got out before Bucky cut him with a glare and a pointy finger.

"Before you all go and think what you're thinking— no, we didn't sleep together," he said bitterly, side-passing both Steve and Sam at the door's frame.

"What happened to you guys?" Steve turned to ask Rhodey.

"The car got stuck in mud. We stayed at your old club's house," Steve nodded slowly while Sam and Tony held their laughs at Steve's back. "You two are wearing the same clothes you wore yesterday, should I ask or is it that obvious?" He asked with a weak smile.

"I was a perfect gentleman," Tony said, opening his arms in a defensive way.

"Okay, I trust you," Rhodey eased. "So, you guys dating now?" He asked, shifting his eyes from Steve to Tony. They only but glanced at each other and smiled.

"We're figuring it out," Steve answered him, then he looked at Sam, and answered him, too.

"Alright, I'm going— to take a bath, I'm disgusting," he smiled at them and went inside, head still down.

"I'm gonna go find Bucky. Something weird happened and I have to find out what," Sam muttered before going inside the house. Steve looked at Tony and gave him his Tony-smile.

"Coffee and then breakfast?" He asked.

"I could so marry you," Tony said, throwing himself to Steve's arms as they entered, Tony's arm wrapped around Steve's hip as Steve's arm rested around his shoulders.

* * *

 

"Can I ask just why exactly are you grumpy now?" Sam asked, closing the door behind him.

"No, but I have a feeling you're going to anyway," he replied, closing the drawer of his dresser.

"Wow, if this is your way of showing that nothing happened, lemme tell you, man, it's a really lousy one," he commented, throwing himself in the mattress. "So, what's wrong?"

Bucky turned and rested against the furniture. He pointed his lips and bit his tongue. "I need to get laid,” he said, more like to himself either. He went to the bathroom and then got out. "Yeah, that's just what this is, just a physical thing," behind him, Sam whistled.

“Wow, really? That’s what you’re telling yourself?” he raised his eyebrows.

“Fuck off, Sam,” Bucky shot at him, narrowing his brow.

“Can’t you just tell me what happened?” he asked, opening both hands.

Bucky sighed. “I pretended to be asleep,” he muttered, eyes closed.

“Go on,” Sam asked, again.

“And he bought it,” Bucky let out lowly.

“The son of a bitch,” Sam opened his eyes dramatically, faking. Bucky turned his eyes to him and glared.

“Can you let me finish?” Sam only shrugged. “So it was about four am and Rhodey’d been shifting and moving around in the couch until he finally woke up and took a sip of water,” Bucky talked and then he walked to the mattress and sat on the edge. “Then he— knelt to where I was and fucking brushed my hair out of my forehead,” Bucky finished with a whine.

Sam stood speechless and frowning, until he spoke again. “So, what did you do?”

“I told you, I pretended to be asleep,” he explained, biting his cheek.

“Oh my _god_ ,” Sam muttered, resting back against the bed’s headboard.

“That’s not the worst part—,”

“Oh, really?” Sam cut, widening his eyes.

“He said that I’d make things much easier if I kept my mouth shut, then he smiled down at me and I just—,”

“What? Wanted to kiss him?” Sam dared, joking, but Bucky fell on his back, groaning.

“I _just_ need to get laid,” he threw his arm over his head. “I mean, what happened? Two weeks ago I couldn’t have cared less about that guy,”

“You know what they say, it’s a thin line, man,” Sam said and Bucky bit his lip under his arm.

 

* * *

 

“We should go to the fair today,” Steve offered, before taking a bite of his pancake.

“What should I start calling you?” Tony absent-mindedly asked, with a smile.

“Steve,” Bucky replied, from behind them. They both turned to look at Bucky, standing on the threshold. “So, you two are together now?” he asked, narrowing his brow.

“We’re thinking about going to the fair,” Steve said, instead. By that moment Rhodey was making his way to the kitchen.

“Oh that sounds cool,” he said, sitting down.

“No, it’s not,” Bucky shot back. Steve was putting pancakes on Rhodey’s plate while he sarcastically grinned at Bucky.

“Why? You get sick on roller coasters?” Bucky walked into the kitchen and sat without saying anything for a while. Sam had just come back from talking to Erskine when he spoke again.

“Just for the record, I already wanted to punch before Stark, so if you so much give me a reason to — say like, _break Steve’s heart_ , I’m not going to hesitate to do it,” he said, looking down at the table. “And I don’t care about whoever tries to stop me,” he added, looking at Rhodey, who just frowned  at him.

“Ok, I think that’s enough death-threats for the day,” Sam broke the awkward silence, palming his hands. “Are we going to the fair then?”

-

Rhodey couldn’t even remember the last time he went to a fair. There was a roller coaster, that even thought it’d seen better days, it was high and it had just one ring. Kid’s stuff. But it was cool to ride with friends and joke around. They got in a couple of times until Scott, some friend of the guys, started to feel dizzy and threw up on Jean’s red shirt. They all laughed, anyway.

Tonight, however, Rhodey felt particularly happy, maybe it had to do with the fact that each time he looked at Tony, his big brown eyes were shinning. And of all the years Rhodey had known Tony, he could never recall seeing him this happy.

“Steve, look, it’s the Cyclone,” Bucky said, and Sam hid a laugh from behind him.

“Yeah, I’m not going up there in this lifetime, Bucky,” he replied, with a straight face.

“What happened the last time?” Rhodey whispered to Sam.

“You don’t wanna know,” he whispered back, laughing softly.

“Hey, guys, look, it’s the Love Passage,” Darcy called them, pointing out to the big heart-shaped enter of the most cheesy and romantic attraction of the whole fair. Bucky made a throw-up noise.

Steve took Tony’s hand fondly and they both smile, lacing their fingers as they followed the rest of the guys, that coupled-up, too.  

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bucky sighed as the rest of them walked to a table. They sat as Bucky groaned, putting his arms over the table and resting his forehead against them.

“You got sick?” Peggy asked.

“No. Disgusted, maybe,” he replied.  Sharon shook her head.

“Leave him alone, Pegs. He’s grumpy because he’s not getting laid,” she joked, and Bucky fake-laughed at her.

“I’m gonna get some soda,” Rhodey said, getting up.

“Hey, why don’t we go to the Wonder Wheel?” Peggy offered, and Darcy replied with a mouth full of corndog a barely understandable ‘Yeah!’

“I don’t wanna go to the wonder wheel, I wanna go down the bar, picking on a nice person who can fill my needs and I can fill theirs,” Bucky said in a whine.

“You disgust me,” Sharon said, before playfully smacking the back of Bucky’s head as they all walked to the Wonder Wheel, leaving him there all alone. Bucky sighed at the wooden table and rose his head. He walked to one of the fair’s stalls and called the guy with his fingers.

“How much for the big bunny?”

“Five bucks and you get three shots,” he handed him three colorful rings. “You nail one on the bottle at the back and you get the teddy,” Bucky nodded as he took his wallet out, giving the guy a five dollar bill.

He threw the red metal ring and it made a click sound when it hit the floor. He threw the blue one, again, and it bounced on one of the nearest bottles. The green one didn’t have much luck, either.

“Hey, where did everyone go?” Rhodey asked from behind. Bucky handed the guy another bill and he gave him three more rings.

“To the wonder wheel,” Bucky replied, failing again. Rhodey looked around but no one else he knew was there.

“What do you wanna get?” he asked, walking to stand beside Bucky.

“Nothing, I just wanna nail something—,” Bucky muttered, biting his upper lip as he saw the ring barely brush the bottle’s top. “But that’s certainly something that’s not going to happen to me tonight,” he said, facing Rhodey for a second, with a bitter smile. Rhodey nodded, looking down.

“Are you seriously upset because you’re alone?” he asked, frowning.

“No, I don’t care about loneliness,” Bucky threw the last ring and failed. “I just have a physical need. Like, you know when you’re thirsty? You just want water so bad, you really don’t care what kind of water,” Bucky explained. Rhodey rose his head and frowned even harder.

“Let’s say I do,” he replied. Bucky rolled his eyes and shrugged.

“Well, I want sex,” he said, far too loudly, and some old couple gave them judgmental eyes. Rhodey might’ve blushed and Bucky ignored them. Bucky called the guy again and gave him another bill, the guy cracked a laugh as he shook his head, but gave Bucky the rings anyway.

The first one he missed, and Bucky groaned while Rhodey held in a laugh. “You’re missing because you’re mind isn’t clear,” he pushed Bucky out of the way. “You’re thinking about the prize instead of concentrating in the task. What do I have to do?” he asked.

“The big one on the back,” Bucky replied, pointing out the red bottle.

“You need to picture the ring on the bottle, aaaand,” Rhodey threw the ring in a soft movement and it made a glassy sound as it rolled around the bottle’s head, falling around it perfectly. Rhodey smiled proud. “See? You just have to settle your eyes on what you want,” he told Bucky, shrugging. The guy came over and handed Bucky the big bunny.

“There you go. Thank God, you got your boyfriend to do it for you,” he said, looking over at Rhodey, who just ignored the guy and started walking to the tables again. Bucky ran to a tiny blonde little girl.

“Hey, what’s your name?”

“Gw— Gwen,” she replied, twirling her hair around her finger, shyly.

“There you go, Gwen,” he handed her the bunny. “Happy birthday,” he added, before walking after Rhodey.  ‘But it’s not my birthday!’ Bucky heard the little girl shout before he got to Rhodey, in the corner of one of the stalls. “Hey, you ever remember that night? At the bar?” Bucky dared, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. Rhodey turned his face to him as they walked through the alley of stalls-walls.

“What night?”

“Don’t do that,” Bucky cut, shaking his head. “You’ve only been once to the bar.” Rhodey bit the inside of his cheek and then nodded.

“I remember bits,” he replied. “Why?” he asked. Bucky shifted from eye to eye, trying to figure out -what the task was-, knowing very well what the prize was.

He couldn’t, though. “Nothing,” he said, trying to walk past Rhodey, but he grabbed his forearm and spun him around.

“No, tell me,” he asked. Bucky stood still and raised his eyebrows, mouth closed. “Fine. Do whatever you want,” and he was the one stopping Rhodey on his steps now. Bucky took him by the shoulder and lightly moved his hand up to his neck, crashing their mouths together in a quick pull. Rhodey didn’t move a muscle, and didn’t even flinch when Bucky lightly bit his lower lip when he was done. Bucky pushed him away a little and smiled to himself. “Why did you do that?” Rhodey asked against his lips.

“You said ‘do whatever you want’. I’ve been wanting to do that for quite a long time, now,” he answered, grinning, looking at Rhodey’s lips. Rhodey raised his head and pushed Bucky against the stall’s tent, not pressing too hardly, but he had Bucky pretty trapped.

“I don’t like this,” he muttered, almost angrily.

“Oh, really? You _don’t_?” Bucky asked, sarcastically.

“No, not _this_. This, why you do it,” Rhodey corrected, biting his lower lip, hard.

“And according to you, why am I doing it for?” Bucky frowned, grin still on his face.

“Because you’re _thirsty_ , and you’d settle for any _water_ ,” Rhodey answered, bitterly. Bucky cracked a laugh, and then smiled widely.

He placed both of his hands on Rhodey’s shoulder as he spoke “Listen closely, Rhodes. If I wanted _water_ , I’d _already_ have had water,” he said, with a devilish smile. He rubbed lightly Rhodey’s shoulder and then rolled his hands down his chest, straightening his shirt. “The problem is,” he trailed down, stepping closer to Rhodey “I don’t want water,” he whispered at Rhodey’s lips.

“Then what do you want?” he asked back, just as lowly. Bucky smiled and looked at Rhodey’s eyes instead.

Bucky let go of Rhodey and started walking. “I guess that’s for me to know and for you to find out,” he said loud, leaving Rhodey to stand there as he got to the tables.

“He’s gonna be the death of me,” Rhodey whispered to the dark, before walking to meet up with his friends again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was thirsty when I wrote this, sorry.  
> PS. I wrote the story that Bucky told Sam, but it was a bit intense and since I alredy got complaints that this was too much BuckyRhodey I decided to keep it short :3


End file.
